Just eight days after undergoing lung surgery at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, Pope Leo XIV returned to his regular Wednesday General Audience in St. Peter’s Square, where he reflected on the importance of marriage and family in society.

On Relevant in Rome, Rome Correspondent Ashley Noronha joined Mark Swartzberg to discuss the Holy Father’s recovery, his latest catechesis, and the feast of Pope St. John Paul II.

Pope Leo Continues His Recovery

Despite intermittent rain, approximately 15,000 pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square to welcome Pope Leo back. Ashley reported that the Holy Father appeared in good spirits, smiling, waving, and blessing babies as he traveled through the crowd in the popemobile.

His voice sounded strong, and he appeared to walk normally throughout the audience, which lasted approximately 50 minutes.

According to Ashley, the Pope’s physician indicated that he would need approximately ten additional days to recover but saw no immediate medical reason to prevent his scheduled November 6-17 apostolic journey to Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru.

However, questions remain about the Pope’s medical condition, including the stage of his cancer and his long-term prognosis.

The Holy Father expressed gratitude for the prayers and support he received during his hospitalization. He also acknowledged that his experience had given him a greater understanding of those who suffer from illness and offered prayers for the sick.

Marriage and Family Are Essential to Society

Turning to his catechesis, Pope Leo continued his reflections on the Second Vatican Council, focusing on paragraphs 47-52 of Gaudium et Spes, the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World.

He emphasized that marriage is more than a legal arrangement. Rather, it is a lifelong covenant founded on the mutual self-giving of husband and wife, characterized by fidelity, permanence, and shared responsibility.

The Pope also discussed the relationship between marital love and the gift of children. Through welcoming and raising children, spouses participate in God’s creative love and fulfill an essential responsibility within society.

Ashley explained that the Holy Father considers strengthening marriages and families an increasingly urgent priority. He concluded his catechesis by entrusting families throughout the world to the intercession of the Holy Family of Nazareth.

Mark also raised the importance of purity in marriage and single life. Although the Pope had not specifically addressed the subject, Ashley explained that purity involves more than avoiding sin. It requires recognizing the God-given dignity of others and loving them as persons rather than treating them as objects.

Mark connected this understanding of love to the responsibility of parents accompanying adult children who have fallen away from the Catholic faith. He emphasized the importance of maintaining loving relationships while remaining attentive to opportunities to encourage a return to the sacraments.

Remembering Pope St. John Paul II

The conversation later turned to the October 22 feast of Pope St. John Paul II.

Ashley explained that, unlike many saints whose feast days commemorate their deaths, John Paul II is remembered on the anniversary of the beginning of his pontificate in 1978.

Special Masses and commemorative events were planned in Rome, including celebrations at St. Peter’s Basilica, where the saint is entombed.

Mark recalled attending a General Audience with John Paul II in 1994, four years before entering the Catholic Church.

Ashley also shared a personal memory from January 2005, when she attended a private audience with John Paul II alongside a group of friends, including her future husband. She recalled the Pope’s kindness and the privilege of meeting him just months before his death.

As Pope Leo XIV continues his recovery and resumes his responsibilities, the faithful are encouraged to keep him in their prayers, particularly as he prepares for his upcoming apostolic journey.