Pope Leo XIV described catechists as those who embody the word they preach, whether as parents or Church ministers
Newsroom (29/09/2025, Gaudium Press ) Pope Leo XIV celebrated Mass in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday, September 28, 2025, marking the Jubilee of Catechists, where he lauded catechists for their role in accompanying others on their faith journey and urged all Christians to foster belief, hope, and love in one another.
Delivering his homily, the Pope reflected on the Gospel reading from Luke (16:19-31), the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, the same passage read during the 2016 Jubilee of Catechists in the Holy Year of Mercy. He drew a stark parallel between the Gospel’s depiction of indifference and today’s global inequalities.
“At the doorstep of today’s opulence stands the misery of entire peoples, ravaged by war and exploitation,” Pope Leo said, lamenting that “through the centuries, nothing seems to have changed.” He highlighted the Gospel’s assurance that God brings justice, alleviating the suffering of the poor like Lazarus while ending the revelry of the indifferent rich.
The Pope noted the rich man’s plea from the afterlife for his brothers to be warned of his fate, only to be told by Abraham that the living have Moses and the prophets as their guide. “Listening to Moses and the Prophets means remembering God’s commandments and promises, whose providence never abandons anyone,” he explained. He emphasized that Jesus’ Resurrection is the transformative truth that catechists must proclaim, opening hearts to God and neighbor.
Defining the term “catechist,” derived from the Greek for “to teach aloud” or “to make resound,” Pope Leo described catechists as those who embody the word they preach, whether as parents or Church ministers. “We have all been taught to believe through the witness of those who believed before us,” he said, underscoring that catechists accompany people through every stage of life—from childhood to old age.
Catechists, along with all who teach by example, play a vital role in the Church’s pastoral mission, the Pope said, by responding to the human conscience’s yearning for justice and truth. He urged them to remain steadfast in faith to guide others on their spiritual paths.
Quoting St. Augustine’s advice to Deacon Deogratias, Pope Leo concluded with a call to action: “Explain everything in such a way that the one who listens to you, by listening, may believe; by believing, may hope; and by hoping, may love.”
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Vatican News
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