Central to the address was Merry del Val’s association with the Litany of Humility, a prayer he reportedly composed
Newsroom (15/10/2025, Gaudium Press ) In a poignant address delivered in the Clementine Hall, Pope Leo XIV commemorated the 160th anniversary of the birth of Cardinal Rafael Merry del Val, highlighting the Spanish-English prelate’s legacy as a model of humility in papal diplomacy and pastoral care.
Speaking to participants in a scholarly meeting on the cardinal’s life and contributions, the pontiff greeted attendees with “Good morning!” before delving into Merry del Val’s cosmopolitan upbringing and ecclesiastical career. Born in London in 1865 to a Spanish diplomat father and English mother, Merry del Val was immersed in a multicultural environment that fostered his sense of the Church’s universal mission, Pope Leo noted.
The pope traced Merry del Val’s rapid rise: his early service under Leo XIII on sensitive matters, his role as apostolic delegate to Canada promoting Church unity and Catholic education, and his training at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, which he later led. The academy, marking its 325th anniversary, was praised for forming diplomats rooted in priestly fidelity.
At age 35, Merry del Val was named titular archbishop of Nicaea, and by 38, he became Secretary of State under Saint Pius X in 1903 – a youthfulness that underscored, in the pope’s words, that “true maturity does not depend on age, but on identification with the measure of Christ’s fullness” (Ephesians 4:13).
Beyond diplomacy, Merry del Val’s hands-on ministry in Rome’s Trastevere neighborhood, where he catechized and counseled youth, exemplified a “dual dimension” of global service and local pastoral closeness, the pontiff emphasized.
Central to the address was Merry del Val’s association with the Litany of Humility, a prayer he reportedly composed. Pope Leo reflected on key invocations, presenting them as antidotes to temptations in leadership:
- “From the desire of being esteemed… deliver me, O Jesus!” – Warning against seeking acclaim, the pope cited Merry del Val’s prayerful rejection of worldly triumph in favor of silent fidelity (Matthew 6:4).
- “From the desire of being consulted… deliver me, O Jesus!” – Stressing selflessness in service to the papacy, beyond personal interests (Philippians 2:4).
- “From the fear of being humiliated… deliver me, O Jesus!” – Highlighting authority as a path of self-giving, not a pedestal (Matthew 23:11).
- “From the desire of being approved… deliver me, O Jesus!” – Urging fidelity to Gospel truth over popularity, akin to the branch abiding in the vine (John 15:5).
Summarizing Merry del Val’s ethos, the pope invoked his episcopal motto, “Da mihi animas, cetera tolle” (“Give me souls, take away the rest”), from Genesis, which the cardinal requested as his sole tomb inscription in St. Peter’s Basilica crypt. The litany’s closing plea – desiring others’ greater holiness alongside one’s own – was framed as a call to communal sanctity in Church service (1 Thessalonians 3:12-13).
Addressing descendants of the Merry del Val family and Holy See diplomats, Pope Leo expressed gratitude, invoking the Virgin Mary to inspire unity of truth, charity, prudence, and humility. The audience concluded with the Our Father and a papal blessing.
The event underscores ongoing Vatican efforts to draw lessons from historical figures amid contemporary diplomatic challenges, reinforcing humility as essential to ecclesial mission.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from The Vatican
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