Pope Leo XIV shares a message of justice, charity, and unity during a special lunch with vulnerable communities at Castel Gandolfo.
Newsroom (12/07/2026 Gaudium Press ) At the Pontifical Gardens of Castel Gandolfo, beneath the calm beauty of the Borgo Laudato si’ initiative, Pope Leo XIV delivered a deeply personal and urgent appeal for justice, charity, and reconciliation during a special “Lunch with the Pope” attended by some of society’s most vulnerable.
“I came without a prepared speech, but I did come with hunger—hunger for justice, hunger for genuine charity, hunger for a Church that truly knows how to open its doors,” the Pope said, setting the tone for a gathering rooted in both humility and moral clarity.
The event brought together approximately 200 people, including nearly 40 children, all living in vulnerable circumstances. Accompanied by the Diocese of Rome and charitable organizations, the guests spent the day immersed in the spiritual and natural environment of Borgo Laudato si’, an initiative reflecting the Church’s commitment to care, community, and ecological awareness.
The day began with a Mass celebrated by Cardinal Fabio Baggio, Director General of the Laudato Si’ Centre for Higher Education, and concelebrated by Archbishop Luis Marín de San Martín, the Pope’s Almoner and Prefect of the Dicastery for the Service of Charity. A guided visit through the Borgo followed, offering participants a deeper encounter with the setting that framed the day’s message.
In his address, Pope Leo XIV reaffirmed the Church’s mission to embody God’s love for every person. Referencing one of the traditional titles of the papacy, he emphasized the role of the Pontiff as a “builder of bridges.”
“Today we too want to build a bridge with all of you, with your families, and with the society in which we want to live—a society marked by justice,” he said. “Where the causes of poverty can be eliminated and where the causes of the injustices that still exist in our world can be overcome.”
The Pope’s remarks underscored a vision of the Church not as an institution apart, but as a living community committed to inclusion and solidarity. “This is the Church we want to be,” he added, describing a place “where there is love for all and no one is an enemy,” and where reconciliation, forgiveness, and peace are lived realities.
Gratitude was also extended to those who made the gathering possible, particularly those who prepared the meal and supported the initiative. For Pope Leo XIV, the shared table carried profound symbolic weight.
“Whenever we come together… around the same table—the one table where Jesus is also present among us—we are truly building a different world,” he said. “A world of hope, a world that is a light in the midst of our own.”
Against the backdrop of what he described as a fractured world, marked by “violence, hatred, and discrimination,” the Pope issued a call to action. He urged those present—and, by extension, the wider Church—to cultivate communities grounded in solidarity and mutual care.
“Let us work together and strive always to be this kind of Church: a Church of justice, peace, and love,” he said.
Before inviting guests to share the meal, the Pope offered a prayer of blessing, extending his thoughts beyond those present to include families and all who suffer.
“May your blessing come down upon us, O Lord… Bless our families. Bless all those who are in difficulty or suffering,” he prayed. “May they too find peace, forgiveness, and reconciliation.”
The gathering at Castel Gandolfo was not framed as a ceremonial occasion, but as a lived expression of the Church’s mission—one that seeks to confront injustice while fostering dignity, encounter, and hope.
In choosing to come “with hunger” rather than prepared words, Pope Leo XIV delivered a message that resonated beyond the gardens: a call for a Church and a society that respond actively to suffering, and that place justice and charity at their core.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Vatican News
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