Pope Leo XIV meets drug rehabilitation leaders, disability sports teams, missionary formators, and Buddhist pilgrims—uniting hope, dignity, and dialogue.
Newsroom (14/01/2026 Gaudium Press ) At the Wednesday general audience in the Paul VI Hall, Pope Leo XIV was presented with a cross‑section of initiatives that, each in its own way, place human dignity, inclusion, and dialogue at the center of faith in action. From a Spanish foundation helping people overcome drug addiction to Italian sports clubs integrating young people with disabilities, to missionary formators and Buddhist pilgrims, every encounter shared a common aim: that no one should be left behind.
The “Proyecto Hombre Granada” foundation, established during the Great Jubilee of 2000, stood at the core of this message of social and spiritual renewal. Monsignor Francisco Jesús Orozco Mengíbar, bishop of Guadix in Spain and president of the foundation, introduced its work to the pope as a living example of mercy and human restoration. “Our project continues to give the hope of a second — sometimes a third — chance,” he said, underscoring that the initiative “respects the dignity of those who have lived through dependency, offering accompaniment and reintegration to hundreds of people and families.”
The bishop attended the audience accompanied by the diocesan council and Reverend Manuel Mingorance Carmona, director of “Proyecto Hombre” in Granada. Over the last twenty‑five years, the foundation has supported more than 1,200 people overcoming addiction, through the work of over fifty dedicated operators. The project’s strength, presented before the pope, lies not only in its therapeutic methods but in its holistic approach — helping participants recover their sense of belonging and purpose within society.
Inclusion through sport
Mirroring this same dedication to dignity, two Italian sports associations also attended, demonstrating how athletics can become a gateway to integration for young people with disabilities. The Società Canottieri Velocior 1883 Special of La Spezia and the inclusive paralympic athletics team Pro Patria ARC from Busto Arsizio brought testimony to the transformative power of sport.
The Pro Patria ARC coaches explained that their mission focuses “on the inclusion of young people with intellectual and relational disabilities, trained under the guidance of Fisdir, the federation specializing in this field, uniting sport and community, with athletes taking part in national and international competitions.” Their presence showed that athletic excellence and social inclusion can thrive together.
Among the Ligurian rowers was Francesco Nieri, a young artist and athlete with Down syndrome. At the close of the audience, visibly emotional, he presented Pope Leo XIV with a portrait he had painted. The artwork—rendered in yellow and white, the colors of the Vatican flag—radiated the joy he felt on learning he would meet the pope in the Paul VI Hall.
His coaches noted that “this meeting strengthens in our young people the sense of community and shows how sport and art can become instruments of inclusion, dignity, and shared growth.” Nieri’s creative gesture encapsulated the emotional unity of the team, many of whom viewed the encounter as a spiritual affirmation of their commitment to inclusion.
Forming priests in mission lands
Among those welcomed by the pope were participants in the formation program for rectors, vice‑rectors, and seminary formators serving in missionary territories. Initiated last October by the Dicastery for Evangelization, the course brought together participants from Africa, Asia, and Latin America—regions where the Church faces persecution, poverty, and dynamic evangelization.
Accompanied by Father Guy Bognon and Father Alessandro Brandi, the group spent the past months in Rome, deepening their understanding of pastoral care and formation during the closing moments of the Jubilee of Hope. “In this course we felt a renewed sense of responsibility in our mission,” said Father Benjamin Okon, formator at the St. Paul Missionary Seminary in Abuja, Nigeria. “We have understood more deeply what must guide our work: caring for flourishing vocations and growing in faith.” He expressed gratitude for Pope Leo XIV’s pastoral support and noted the pope’s expressed desire to visit Africa soon — a gesture that would carry profound significance for the Church in the Global South.
Dialogue with Buddhist pilgrims
The spirit of dialogue also found expression in the presence of a group of future monks from South Korea belonging to the Won Buddhism movement, accompanied by two formators and Father Paulin Batairwa Kubuya, undersecretary of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue. Their pilgrimage symbolized a bridge between faith traditions rooted in respect and mutual understanding.
“These two weeks of authentic pilgrimage in Italy,” the formators said, “allowed us to feel within our hearts the history and culture of Christianity, which we had known only through books. At the same time, it became an inner experience, prompting us to reflect on our own faith and embrace others.” The Won Buddhist movement, founded over a century ago in Korea, is deeply marked by its openness to dialogue with other religions.
After visiting Milan and Assisi — following the path of Saint Francis, whose 800th anniversary of death will be commemorated on October 3 next year — the Korean pilgrims participated in a conference at the Pontifical Urban University organized with the Dicastery for Evangelization. The group described how “in the life of St. Francis, we recognize the spirit of our own founder, Master Sotesan,” drawing a powerful parallel between Franciscan humility and the Won Buddhist pursuit of enlightened coexistence.
A final gesture of reflection
The audience concluded with a gesture from the world of journalism and culture. Antonio Preziosi, director of TG2, Italy’s national television news, presented Pope Leo XIV with his latest book, Leone XIV, La via disarmata e disarmante. The title evokes themes that resonate deeply with this pontificate — peace, humility, and the transformative power of dialogue over domination.
Taken together, the encounters of the Paul VI Hall portrayed the global Church in motion: inclusive, compassionate, and outward‑looking. From the rehabilitation of addicts in Spain to the athletic achievements of disabled youth in Italy, from the missionary vigor of formators in Africa and Asia to the openness of Buddhist pilgrims, Pope Leo XIV presided over a mosaic of hope made tangible.
The day’s audience was not just a moment of protocol; it was a living tableau of the Church’s universal mission — to restore dignity, foster unity, and keep the flame of hope burning in every human story.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Vatican News
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