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Two sisters, 10 days, 6 churches: rekindling faith with a Jubilee pilgrimage across the diocese 

By
Jeff Grant
-

Susan Brown never intended to drift away from her Catholic roots.  

The Strawberry, Ark., resident, whose maiden name is Volpe, grew up in a Catholic home, first in semirural northwestern New Jersey, and then in Phoenix, where the family moved when she and her sister, Gina, her only sibling, were under 10 years old. 

The girls and their parents attended Our Lady of the Valley Church in Phoenix near 35th Avenue and Greenway Road, where they were very active as teenagers.  

But while Gina continued on that path as a young adult, Susan found herself on a different road. 

“I strayed away. It wasn’t drugs or alcohol, and I didn’t  want to switch religions, but I just got away from it,” she explained. 

Experiencing unsuccessful relationships and marriages before meeting her current husband, Susan’s life became marked by what she described as decisions that left her unfulfilled. 

“I was very unhappy for a number of years, making bad choices, trying to force things the way I wanted them to be instead of letting God [lead me],” she said. 

“Something was missing in my life.” 

What Susan always had, though, was her younger sister.  

Gina remained active in the Church, married, worked and raised three children. Throughout that time, she and Susan talked and saw one another regularly. After Susan and her husband moved in 2022 to rural Arkansas to be close to her daughter and her family, the sisters saw one another twice a year. 

Gina also never stopped praying for her sister; never stopped asking God to lead Susan back to her faith, to the pursuit of God that fueled their spiritual life as youngsters: the connection with Jesus, Mary and the Blessed Sacrament, and the warmth and camaraderie of fellow Catholics. 

To an outsider, it may have seemed God was absent from Susan’s life, but He was always there.  

In 2023, Gina’s prayers were answered. 

A book on visions of Mary 

During one of Susan’s semiannual trips back to Phoenix, the sisters were in the bookstore at The Franciscan Renewal Center in Phoenix. Gina and her husband worship at the center’s Our Lady of the Angels Church. Gina had purchased a book, “My Heart Will Triumph,” the 2016 autobiography of Mirjana Soldo, a 59-year-old housewife from Bosnia and Herzegovina, who, along with five other local teenagers reported seeing visions of the Blessed Mother on a hill in their small village of Medjugorje, about a three-hour drive southwest of the capital of Sarajevo. 

Though the Vatican has not confirmed the visions as authentic, the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of Faith in 2024, with Pope Francis’ blessing, recognized “the abundant and widespread fruits” associated with devotion to Mary and with pilgrimages to Medjugorje. 

Outside the renewal center in Phoenix, Gina showed Susan the book. Susan was still not attending church or engaged in any way with the faith, but as she sifted through the pages, Susan became fascinated with Soldo’s story. She began reading earnestly. 

“The next Sunday,” Gina said, “she sat with us at church, and she never looked back. 

“It’s just amazing what the Holy Spirit did.” 

Following her return to Arkansas that year, Susan began attending Mass regularly at St. Mary’s in Batesville. She starting going to Bible studies and receiving reconciliation. The rediscovery of her faith was under way.  

In his 2024 declaration of the Jubilee Year, Pope Francis encouraged the faithful to visit sacred sites to renew their spiritual journey with Christ and help deepen their faith and draw them closer to God. Dioceses across the globe responded by establishing designated pilgrimage sites. Last fall, Bishop John Dolan named six locations across the nearly 44,000-square-mile diocese. Each site was set up with a Peace Pole and a special plaque with a QR code that visitors could scan into their device to confirm their visit and receive a virtual piece of a puzzle. Those visiting all six sites were able to complete the puzzle, revealing a beautiful image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the diocesan patroness. The bishop will send each of those pilgrims a gift.  

As of Dec. 16, a total of 2,819 individuals had scanned at least one QR code. A total of 216 individuals, couples or families had completed the QR code puzzle. On the weekend of Dec. 13-15 alone, 30 new individuals scanned at least one code, as pilgrims took to the roads to visit the sites by the Jubilee Year’s official end on Dec. 28.  

Susan and Gina were among the latest to add their names, doing so in quick succession with careful planning. 

Mapping it out 

As the sisters prepared this fall for Susan’s latest trip West, they talked about visiting some of the Jubilee pilgrimage sites. By the time that planning became a reality, the sisters had been to all six — in a span of 10 days. St. Mary’s Basilica in downtown Phoenix; Ss. Simon and Jude Cathedral in central Phoenix; St. Anthony Mission Church in Sacaton, Ariz.; and the three northern Arizona locations: Sacred Heart Church in Prescott, Ariz.; the Chapel of the Holy Cross in Sedona, Ariz.; and St. Mary Church in Kingman, Ariz. 

As usual, Susan and Gina would be together for two weeks.  

There were other activities planned, including a party for one of Gina’s three adult children, but the sisters soon decided, with the Jubilee Year drawing to a close, they would travel to all six sites. 

“I had never heard of [the Jubilee] before. I mapped it out so we could hit all the churches in the two weeks I was here,” Susan explained.  

“When I heard about the [Jubilee pilgrimages], I thought, ‘If my sister and I can do this while she [is] here, what a thing that would be,’” Gina said. 

And travel, they did. 

Susan arrived the last weekend in November, and a few days later, on Tuesday, Dec. 2, the sisters were in the historic St. Mary’s Basilica in downtown Phoenix. They had planned to visit St. Anthony Mission Church on Thursday, Dec. 4, but had to scrub the idea. The Franciscan Friars of the Holy Spirit do not celebrate Mass there every Thursday and were not scheduled to do so that evening. The sisters decided to wait a week. They maintained their plan of heading north to the Chapel of the Holy Cross, in Sedona, Friday, Dec. 5; St. Mary Church in Kingman, Saturday, Dec. 6; and then back south to Sacred Heart Church in Prescott, Sunday, Dec. 7. There, they experienced the added fun of watching Prescott’s annual tree lighting at the historic downtown courthouse.   

“It was a bonus,” Susan said. 

From Prescott, the sisters took a day off, then visited Ss. Simon and Jude Cathedral Tuesday, Dec. 9. With less than 24 hours before Susan had to board a jetliner to return to Arkansas, the pair made it to St. Anthony Thursday evening, Dec. 11. They prayed the rosary and attended Mass at the small mission church with about a half dozen worshippers. 

The next afternoon, Susan was on her way home. She and her sister’s hearts full; their faith invigorated.  

A ‘spiritual glow’ 

Experiencing different churches and meeting other believers in a short period added to their understanding of worship and deepened their faith, Gina explained. 

“The Mass is always the same as you go one church to the next,” Gina explained. “The nuances from church to church are different. In one place, people recognized us immediately as not [being from] their church and introduced themselves. The way they [all] celebrate is beautiful.” 

One site, however, stood out. 

The sisters received the sacrament of reconciliation, attended adoration, recited the Divine Mercy chaplet, prayed the rosary and attended Mass; spending about four hours at the Chapel of the Holy Cross. The small iconic chapel built on the side of one of Sedona’s famed red rocks draws millions of visitors annually from across the globe and offers sweeping views of the valley below from its floor-to-ceiling window behind the altar. 

At its capacity of 65, the church was packed with people, the gathering extending outside, according to the sisters.  

One worshipper caught their attention, and for Gina, delivered a snapshot of the spiritual life she longs for. 

As the woman prayed silently, she had what Gina described as a “spiritual glow” about her. 

“She had pure joy, a serene smile, she was calm and the [outdoor] light was shining on her,” she recalled. 

“We want to get to that point in our faith journey, where we can just emanate that joy of the Holy Spirit.” 

Gina and Susan will not soon forget the 10 days of journeying this December, and the hope it has given them. 

For each, where they are on their faith journey, it means something unique. 

Married at 36, delivering three children in four years and having a career in the auto-dealership business, Gina just sent her youngest child to college. She and her husband are now empty nesters. 

“I really haven’t dug into my faith like I have wanted. I’m seeking a renewal; a cleansing experience. I wanted to bring my faith to the next level,” she said. “I’m praying this will be the reset I needed.” 

For Susan, it was not just a reset but building on a restart that began two years ago with her discovery of Mirjana Soldo’s book. 

“I was away from the Church for 40 years,” Susan said. “I didn’t lose it overnight, and I’m not going to restore overnight. For me, this was about restoring my relationship with God. It has been a learning experience. I came away with a great feeling from every one of the churches that we have a beautiful faith, and I have to remember that. 

“It ended up being fun because we got to spend a lot of time together. We did something unique and special together.”

2nd annual diocesan Simbang Gabi draws nearly 1,500

By
The Catholic Sun
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The second annual diocesan Simbang Gabi drew an overflow crowd Sunday evening (Dec. 14) at St. Paul Catholic Church in Phoenix, as Bishop John Dolan celebrated the Mass that kicks off a nine-day series of novena Masses at six different parishes in the Diocese of Phoenix. Established in the 1600s, Simbang Gabi is a cherished Filipino Catholic Christmas tradition, consisting of a nine-day series of dawn Masses leading up to Christmas. It is one of the most vibrant and beloved expressions of Filipino faith and culture.

Nearly 1,500 gathered Sunday for Mass, a parade of lanterns, the lighting of a Christmas tree and a reception featuring traditional Filipino cuisine. To learn more about the locations and times of the nine-day novena Masses (Dec. 15-23) visit: https://dphx.org/simbanggabi/

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Christmas creche, tree are signs of hope, pope says

By
Catholic News Service
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By Carol Glatz, Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The Nativity scene and the Christmas tree are signs of faith and hope, Pope Leo XIV said.

“As we contemplate them in our homes, parishes and town squares, let us ask the Lord to renew in us the gift of peace and fraternity,” he said, calling for prayers for all those who suffer because of war and violence. “We must eliminate hatred from our hearts.”

The pope was speaking Dec. 15 during a meeting with the government representatives, artisans and donors responsible for providing the Christmas decorations in the Paul VI Audience Hall and in St. Peter’s Square.

Pope Leo thanked the Costa Rican artist who created the Nativity scene for the audience hall, titled “Nacimiento Gaudium.” Created by Paula Sáenz Soto, it features a pregnant Virgin Mary and 28,000 colored ribbons, each representing a life saved from abortion thanks to the prayers and support provided to many mothers in difficulty by Catholic organizations, according to a press release by the Vatican City State’s governing office.

On Christmas Eve, the statue will be replaced with a different statue of Mary kneeling in adoration of the newborn Baby Jesus, and 400 ribbons will be placed in Jesus’ manger containing prayers and wishes written by young patients at the National Children’s Hospital in San José.

“I thank the Costa Rican artist who, together with the message of peace at Christmas, also wanted to launch an appeal for the protection of life from the moment of conception,” Pope Leo said.

“The Nativity scene and the Christmas tree are signs of faith and hope,” he said to all those present. “Let the tenderness of the child Jesus illuminate our lives. Let God’s love, like the branches of an evergreen tree, remain fervent in us.”

The pope thanked those from a small town in the northern autonomous province of Bolzano who donated the 82-foot-tall Norway spruce weighing 8.8 tons that was to be lit in a special ceremony Dec. 15 when the large Nativity scene in the square would be unveiled.

“For pilgrims from all over the world who will gather in St. Peter’s Square, the Nativity scene will remind them that God draws close to humanity, becomes one of us, entering our history in the smallness of a child,” the pope said.

“Before every Nativity scene, even those made in our homes, we relive that event and rediscover the need to seek moments of silence and prayer in our lives, to find ourselves and enter into communion with God,” he said.

The Nativity scene in St. Peter’s Square for 2025 came from a diocese south of Naples, not far from the Amalfi coast. Among the gifts being offered by the shepherds are agricultural products famous from the region, such as San Marzano and Corbarino tomatoes, walnuts, spring onions and artichokes.

Both the creche and the tree were to be in St. Peter’s Square until Jan. 11 — the feast of the Baptism of the Lord.

The Vatican City State governing office said that the tree’s needles and green branches will be sent to an Austrian company to extract its essential oils, and the wood will be donated to a charity.

When Pope Leo met Dec. 13 with hundreds of people acting in a living Nativity scene being held at Rome’s Basilica of St. Mary Major, he said the creche “is an important sign: it reminds us that we are part of a wondrous adventure of salvation in which we are never alone.”

“Spread this message and keep this tradition alive. They are a gift of light for our world, which so badly needs to be able to continue to hope,” he said.

Vatican’s 2025: Year brings new pope, renewed focus on unity, peace

By
Catholic News Service
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By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — For the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics and for millions of other people as well, the Catholic Church’s 2025 was primarily about the death of Pope Francis and the election of Pope Leo XIV.

In fact, the Wikimedia Foundation announced Dec. 2 that “Deaths in 2025” — an entry that includes Pope Francis — was their second most-read entry during the year, and Pope Leo’s biography was the fifth most-read article of the 7.1 million entries Wikipedia has in English.

“As people rushed online to learn about Leo, traffic to all Wikimedia projects peaked at around 800,000 hits per second — more than 6x over normal traffic levels, and a new all-time record for us,” said the foundation.

“Plenty of people came to learn more about Francis’ life too,” they added. “His English Wikipedia article was the 11th most-read (page) of the year.”

Pope Francis had begun the year celebrating the Jan. 1 Mass for the feast of Mary, Mother of God, with a weak voice and a puffy face that, looking back, already indicated his doctors were struggling to control his chronic lung conditions — bronchiectasis and asthmatic bronchitis — which were exacerbated anytime he had a cold.

He ended up being hospitalized Feb. 14 with a fever and respiratory tract infection, which later developed into double pneumonia.

While he was hospitalized, cardinals and other Vatican officials — including U.S. Cardinal Robert F. Prevost, the future Pope Leo — started taking turns leading thousands of people in praying the rosary for Pope Francis each night in St. Peter’s Square. The nightly prayers continued until the pope was released from Rome’s Gemelli hospital March 23.

Pope Francis had opened the Jubilee Year Dec. 24, 2024, just after his 88th birthday. But he ended up delegating cardinals to preside over many of the Jubilee Masses.

On Easter, after giving his blessing “urbi et orbi” (to the city and the world) — but barely able to raise his hands — he took his final ride in the popemobile, spending about 15 minutes among the crowd.

Pope Francis died at 7:35 a.m. the next morning, April 21.

In addition to the mourning and the prayers, his death marked the beginning of meetings of the College of Cardinals to discuss the state of the church, its needs and the needs of the world and the qualities the next pope should have.

The conclave to elect the pope solemnly began May 7 with 133 cardinals entering the Sistine Chapel. Cardinal Prevost was elected the next day, on the fourth ballot, and took the name Pope Leo XIV.

“Peace be with you,” were Pope Leo’s first words to the crowd. The same words are often the first he says to any group he meets.

With a warm but measured demeanor, the first U.S.-born pope eased into his new ministry, highlighting the same themes his predecessors had: the primary Christian mission of sharing the Gospel, working for peace, promoting unity within the church and within the human family and bringing all of that together by serving the poor and denouncing injustice.

He explained the threads of that interconnected message in his first major document, “Dilexi Te” (“I Have Loved You”), an apostolic exhortation “to all Christians on love for the poor.”

“Love for the poor — whatever the form their poverty may take — is the evangelical hallmark of a Church faithful to the heart of God,” the pope wrote. “I am convinced that the preferential choice for the poor is a source of extraordinary renewal both for the Church and for society, if we can only set ourselves free of our self-centeredness and open our ears to their cry.”

That love, he said in the document and repeatedly elsewhere as well, extends to migrants and refugees.

“The Church has always recognized in migrants a living presence of the Lord who, on the day of judgment, will say to those on his right: ‘I was a stranger, and you welcomed me,'” he wrote.

Pope Leo has been asked repeatedly about U.S. President Donald Trump’s treatment of migrants and refugees and the administration’s stated goal of mass deportations, and he repeatedly has affirmed church teaching that recognizes the right of a nation to control its borders while insisting that people seeking safety and a better life must be treated with dignity.

Unlike Pope Francis, his predecessor, Pope Leo has had many of those conversations with reporters in Castel Gandolfo, home of a sprawling papal property with villas, a farm, gardens and a new center dedicated to educating people in ecology.

While Pope Francis visited only a couple of times and then turned the main papal residence at Castel Gandolfo into a museum, Pope Leo spent weeks there in the summer and returns most Monday evenings to spend 24 hours at the villa reading, relaxing, playing tennis and swimming in the indoor pool.

Being elected during a Holy Year, with special Jubilee celebrations planned most weekends, Pope Leo inherited a full calendar and made it his own, especially in late July with the Jubilee of Youth, which brought more than 1 million young people to Rome.

He had a special and immediate connection with the crowd, in large part because he spoke directly to the young people in English and Spanish in addition to Italian, the Vatican’s official working language.

The young people roared with approval as he spoke to them in languages that most could understand without translation. He clearly tapped into their potential, their hopes and their dreams and brought them along with him to celebrate and pray.

“Aspire to great things, to holiness, wherever you are,” he told them at Mass Aug. 3. “Do not settle for less. You will then see the light of the Gospel growing every day, in you and around you.”

His ability to connect and his focus on mission, unity and peace were especially obvious Nov. 27-Dec. 2 as he made his first foreign trip as pope, visiting Turkey and Lebanon.

The trip was planned around an ecumenical celebration of the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea and the Creed most Christians share. But he also encouraged the minority Catholic communities that make outsized contributions to both nations and spent hours demonstrating his respect for the majority Muslim communities.

“The more we can promote authentic unity and understanding, respect and human relationships of friendship and dialogue in the world, the greater possibility there is that we will put aside the arms of war, that we will leave aside the distrust, the hatred, the animosity that has so often been built up and that we will find ways to come together and be able to promote authentic peace and justice throughout the world,” he told reporters flying back to Rome with him Dec. 2.

Jesus is the Way; Walking El Camino Real

By
Debbie DiCarlo
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Life is often filled with uncertainty, challenges and moments that test our faith. Yet, in the midst of it all, we hold to the promise of our Catholic faith: Jesus is the Way. He is the One Who walks with us in every season — whether joyful or difficult — reminding us that we are never alone. 

I experienced this truth profoundly in 2001, when I traveled to Peru. At the time, I was still carrying the weight of my own son’s life-threatening health scare. The fear, the sleepless nights and the prayers for his healing had left a lasting imprint on my heart. And then, in Peru, I encountered families who walked for days — sometimes hundreds of miles — just to receive basic medical care for their children. 

In their eyes, I saw both struggle and profound faith. They lacked access to reliable healthcare, clean water and nutritious food. Yet, even in their poverty, they revealed the face of Christ to me. It was in that encounter that I realized Jesus had been walking with me through my own fears as a mother, and now He was guiding me to see His presence in the lives of those most marginalized. God’s intention for us is clear: He calls us to walk with one another in good times and in bad, to never allow anyone to journey alone. 

This is the heart of discipleship. Jesus does not simply show us a path — He is the path. 

When He says, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, (Jn 14:6) He invites us to entrust our steps to Him, confident that He will lead us into deeper compassion, justice and love. 

Last year, through our diocesan TILMA initiative, we embraced the Year of Hope. Together, we grounded ourselves in the hope Christ offers, even when life felt uncertain. That journey prepared us for what lies ahead. 

This year, we take the next step: El Camino Real — the Royal Road. Historically, El Camino Real was the road that missionaries traveled to bring faith to new communities. Today, it is a symbol of our shared journey as disciples. Walking this road means committing ourselves to be present with others, especially those who are poor, sick or forgotten, just as Christ has been present with us. 

El Camino Real reminds us that faith is never lived in isolation. Along this royal road, we encounter fellow travelers — some rejoicing, others struggling. Our call is not to rush past them but to walk alongside them, sharing burdens, offering encouragement and bearing witness to God’s love. 

The way is not always easy. But it is royal because it leads us home to one another and, ultimately, to God. Jesus is the Way, and when we walk with Him, we discover that His promise is true: We are never alone. 

Bishop Dolan’s Pastoral Plan; TILMA year two

By
The Catholic Sun
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Bishop John Dolan released his pastoral plan today (Dec. 12), the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The plan, entitled “El Camino Real; Year Two of a Seven-Year Pastoral Plan,” delves into the bishop’s heart and themes for 2026 of his plan on evangelization leading up to the 500th anniversary of Our Lady of Guadalupe’s apparitions to St. Juan Diego in 2031. Click below to access the plan in English and Spanish. 

TILMA Year 2 – Pastoral Plan – English

TILMA Year 2 – Pastoral Plan – Español

Christ in our Neighborhood: The Baptism of the Lord (Cycle A)

By
Joyce Coronel
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NOTE: Christ in Our Neighborhood is a parish-based program consisting of small Christian communities that gather in the home weekly to prayerfully discuss the upcoming Sunday Mass readings. It’s easy to form a community and you can find out more by searching “Christ in Our Neighborhood at the Diocese of Phoenix website, dphx.org.

This coming Sunday, we celebrate the Baptism of the Lord. The Christ in Our Neighborhood commentary asks us: When have you most clearly experienced your identity as a beloved child of God—and how did it shape the way you serve others?

In our productivity-centered world, the pull toward thinking of ourselves as “human doings” rather than “human beings” can be so insidious that we don’t even realize we’ve succumbed. This was brought home to me once when in the midst of deep disappointment, a wise and holy friend reminded me that “who you are is not what you do.”

In other words, our dignity and value don’t come from what we accomplish. Our dignity and inherent worth are based on the fact that in baptism, we become beloved sons and daughters of God, redeemed by the precious blood of Christ.

Once we accept that great gift, we begin to see others as brothers and sisters. That includes those we disagree with, those who have wounded us, and those who are shunned by society. They too are made in the image of God. Christ sees in them —and in us—one so precious that He gave every last drop of His blood to redeem us all.

In learning to see ourselves and others in this light, gratitude impels us to serve as He served. With humility and confidence in God’s love for us.

If you haven’t joined a Christ in Our Neighborhood small group yet, perhaps you are being called to start one yourself. Check out our website today to find out more: dphx.org/Christ-in-our-neighborhood. 

Watch the video of the weekly podcast segment featuring Christ in Our Neighborhood with Bishop Dolan by clicking HERE.

To sign up for our weekly Christ in Our Neighborhood newsletter that has everything you need for your next meeting, visit: https://phoenixdiocese.flocknote.com/CION

 Thousands attend Honor Your Mother 20th Anniversary Celebration

By
The Catholic Sun
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Thousands turned out on Saturday morning (Dec. 6) for the 20th annual Honor Your Mother event, the Diocese of Phoenix’s celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The day began with a rosary, followed by an outdoor Mass and procession through the streets of downtown Phoenix. Several priests joined Bishop John Dolan, Auxiliary Bishop Eduardo Nevares and Archbishop Miguel Cabrejos Vidarte, OFM, of Trujillo, Peru, for the Mass.

Nearly 100 entries took part in the procession, including dancers, musicians and numerous participants carrying an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the patron saint of the diocese. Attendees also got a glimpse of Bishop Dolan’s seven-year pastoral plan, TILMA, focusing on evangelization and leading up to the 500th anniversary of Our Lady of Guadalupe’s apparitions to St. Juan Diego in 2031.

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Come all ye faithful: Christmas carols sing of God’s love, pope says

By
Catholic News Service
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By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Christmas carols in every language and culture are expressions of how music can convey “feelings and emotions, even the deepest movements of the soul,” Pope Leo XIV said after listening, clapping and singing along at the Vatican Christmas concert with the poor.

“As the melodies touched our hearts, we felt the inestimable value of music: not a luxury for the few, but a divine gift accessible to everyone, rich and poor, learned and simple,” the pope said Dec. 6 as he thanked Canadian singer Michael Bublé, Italian singer Serena Autieri and the choir of the Diocese of Rome.

Pope Leo was seated in the center aisle behind the main guests — about 3,000 people assisted by the papal almoner and Catholic charities in Rome.

“Music is like a bridge that leads us to God,” the pope said. It is like “an imaginary stairway connecting earth and heaven.”

“It is not a coincidence that the feast of Christmas is very rich in traditional songs, in every language and every culture,” he said. “It is as though this mystery could not be celebrated without music, without hymns of praise.”

And it was that way from the very beginning, the pope said, noting how the Gospel of Luke “tells us that while Jesus was being born in the stable in Bethlehem, there was a great concert of angels in heaven.”

“And who listened to that concert? To whom did the angels appear? To the shepherds, who were keeping watch at night to guard their flock,” he said.

“Music can lift our hearts,” the pope told his audience, which included migrants and refugees, people who sleep outside around the Vatican and people in need because of job loss.

Music is uplifting “not because it distracts us from our sufferings, because it numbs us or makes us forget the problems and difficult situations of life,” he said, “but because it reminds us that we are not just this: we are far more than our problems and our troubles, we are God’s beloved children!”

Pope Leo asked everyone in the audience to use Advent and the preparation for Christmas as a time to be attentive to people in need and open to listening “to the song of God’s love, which is Jesus Christ.”

“Yes, Jesus is God’s song of love for humanity,” he said. “Let us listen to this song! Let us learn it well, so that we too can sing it with our lives.”

Pope asks Michael Bublé and other artists to give their best for the poor

By
Catholic News Service
-

By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Leo XIV asked Canadian singer Michael Bublé and other artists to do their very best when performing a Christmas concert for the poor.

The annual concert at the Vatican “is not merely a performance by talented artists or simply a musical event, beautiful as it may be, nor even a moment of solidarity to ease our conscience in the face of society’s injustices,” the pope told Bublé and the other artists Dec. 5.

“I would like us, as we participate in this gathering, to recall the Lord’s words: ‘Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me,'” the pope said.

Some 3,000 people assisted by the Vatican’s charity office, the Rome diocesan Caritas and other Catholic charities in Rome will be the primary guests at the concert Dec. 6 in the Vatican’s Paul VI Audience Hall. It will be livestreamed by Vatican Media.

The concert for the poor began as the initiative of Pope Francis in 2015, although he did not attend any of the performances. However, the Vatican said, Pope Leo will be present for the 2025 edition.

“If we concretely love those who are hungry and thirsty, those without clothing, the sick, the stranger, the prisoner, we are loving the Lord,” Pope Leo told the artists, including members of the choir of the Diocese of Rome and the Nova Opera Orchestra.

“This is the Gospel,” Pope Leo said, quoting from his exhortation on love for the poor: ” This is not a matter of mere human kindness but a revelation: contact with those who are lowly and powerless is a fundamental way of encountering the Lord of history. In the poor, he continues to speak to us.”

“The dignity of men and women is not measured by what they possess,” the pope insisted. “We are not our goods and belongings, but rather children loved by God; and this same love must be the measure of our actions toward our neighbor.”

“For this reason, in our concert, the most vulnerable brothers and sisters occupy the first places,” he said.

Msgr. Marco Frisina, director of the choir of the Diocese of Rome, said Pope Francis came up with the idea of the concert for the poor to give them “something they are never given — something beautiful” and exclusive.

Bublé, who spoke to reporters after meeting the pope, said he was “overwhelmed” and “I’m really still not over the moment.”

A Catholic, the singer said he was able to bring his wife and parents to the papal audience.

“For this young kid from Burnaby (British Columbia), who grew up Catholic, to be sitting here now, it’s almost impossible to really express to you how it feels,” he said.

Bublé told reporters his set list for the concert includes several songs requested by Pope Leo, starting with the Ave Maria in Latin.

“To be really honest,” he told reporters, “I sang that song once — one time in a recording studio with all of the strings and the orchestra, and I never sang the song again. And when he asked, I was very, very nervous. I didn’t want to let him or any of you down, but with the amazing group behind me, with the choir and this orchestra, I realized that there’s no fear, there’s only joy and rehearsal.”

Asked about his faith, Bublé told reporters, “I have a wonderful personal relationship with God. And it doesn’t just affect my music. It affects everything, everything I do, every decision I make.”

“If my brand is anything,” he said, “I very much hope that it’s kindness and hope and love.”

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