Gathering in the Hall of Popes during the Jubilee of Hope, Pope Leo XIV received members of Aid to the Church in Need International and expressed heartfelt gratitude for their tireless defense of persecuted Christians and their witness to the Gospel across the world. The Holy Father noted that their mission remains vital at a time when hostility toward religion continues to rise.
Pope Leo reminded those present that the suffering of any Christian is shared by the entire Church. Quoting Saint Paul, he said that when one member of the Body suffers, all suffer together. The Pontiff reflected that this spiritual unity calls all believers to prayer, advocacy, and tangible support for those deprived of their most basic freedoms.
The Holy Father centered his remarks on the theme of religious liberty, calling it an essential right grounded in the very dignity of the human person. Every human heart, he said, bears a deep yearning for truth and communion with God. Because of this, religious freedom cannot be treated as a privilege granted by governments but must be recognized as a fundamental element of justice and peace. When that freedom is denied, societies lose their moral foundation, and fear and suspicion replace dialogue and trust.
Pope Leo reiterated that the Church has long defended this right for all people, citing the teaching of Dignitatis Humanae from the Second Vatican Council. Religious freedom, he said, must not remain an abstract ideal but be lived and protected in the daily reality of every community.
Tracing the origins of Aid to the Church in Need, Pope Leo reflected on its founding in 1947 as a response to the devastation of war. Born from a spirit of reconciliation, the organization has stood alongside suffering Christians ever since, providing spiritual, pastoral, and material support wherever the Church faces persecution or hardship.
The Holy Father commended the group’s Religious Freedom in the World Report, published for more than twenty-five years, as a powerful testimony that exposes the hidden suffering of the persecuted and gives voice to those who cannot speak for themselves. Beyond reporting, he emphasized, the organization continues to rebuild churches, sustain religious vocations, and strengthen the moral fabric of communities around the world. He recalled with gratitude their assistance to missions in Peru, including those in the Diocese of Chiclayo, where he once served.
Pope Leo also highlighted how this charity enables local Christians, even small and vulnerable minorities, to become “peacemakers” in their homelands. In countries such as the Central African Republic, Burkina Faso, and Mozambique, the Church—often supported by Aid to the Church in Need—serves as a sign of harmony and fraternity, offering hope where violence and division prevail.
As he concluded, the Pope urged the delegates not to tire of doing good, assuring them that their work bears fruit in countless lives. He invoked the consolation of the Holy Spirit upon all those they serve and entrusted their mission to the care of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Hope. With his Apostolic Blessing, Pope Leo commended Aid to the Church in Need for continuing to reflect the compassion and steadfast faith of the universal Church.