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Pope tells politicians that AI should serve human beings, not replace them 

The pope told the political leaders that “natural law, which is universally valid apart from and above other more debatable beliefs, constitutes the compass by which to take our bearings in legislating and acting." / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Jun 21, 2025 / 09:30 am (CNA).

Pope Leo urged political leaders from around the world to promote the common good, warning especially of the threat to human dignity from artificial intelligence (AI). 

 AI “will certainly be of great help to society, provided that its employment does not undermine the identity and dignity of the human person and his or her fundamental freedoms,” the pope said on June 21 to legislators from 68 countries gathered at the Vatican for the Jubilee of Governments.  

 “It must not be forgotten that artificial intelligence functions as a tool for the good of human beings, not to diminish them, not to replace them,” Leo said, speaking in English to the international audience.  

 The pope has quickly made the challenge of artificial intelligence a signature issue of his pontificate, highlighting it at a meeting with the College of Cardinals two days after his election last month. 

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, pictured here greeting Pope Leo XIV, was among the leaders from 68 countries gathered at the Vatican for the Jubilee of Governments. Credit: Vatican Media
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, pictured here greeting Pope Leo XIV, was among the leaders from 68 countries gathered at the Vatican for the Jubilee of Governments. Credit: Vatican Media

In his speech to political leaders on Saturday, Leo also urged them to promote the common good in other ways, including by “working to overcome the unacceptable disproportion between the immense wealth concentrated in the hands of a few and the world’s poor.” The pope decried such inequality as a leading cause of war. 

Pope Leo stressed the importance of religious freedom and encouraged political leaders to follow the example of the 16th-century St. Thomas More as a “martyr for freedom and for the primacy of conscience.” More was executed for refusing to recognize King Henry VIII as head of the Church in England instead of the pope. 

Leo also recommended the ethical tradition of natural law, whose roots in classical antiquity predate Christianity, as “a shared point of reference in political activity” and “an element that unites everyone” regardless of religious belief. 

Natural law arguments have played a prominent role in several recent legal and political debates, over issues including abortion, euthanasia, religious freedom, same-sex marriage and transgender policies. 

The pope told the political leaders that “natural law, which is universally valid apart from and above other more debatable beliefs, constitutes the compass by which to take our bearings in legislating and acting, particularly on the delicate and pressing ethical issues that, today more than in the past, regard personal life and privacy.”

Pope tells politicians that AI should serve human beings, not replace them 

The pope told the political leaders that “natural law, which is universally valid apart from and above other more debatable beliefs, constitutes the compass by which to take our bearings in legislating and acting." / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Jun 21, 2025 / 09:30 am (CNA).

Pope Leo urged political leaders from around the world to promote the common good, warning especially of the threat to human dignity from artificial intelligence (AI). 

 AI “will certainly be of great help to society, provided that its employment does not undermine the identity and dignity of the human person and his or her fundamental freedoms,” the pope said on June 21 to legislators from 68 countries gathered at the Vatican for the Jubilee of Governments.  

 “It must not be forgotten that artificial intelligence functions as a tool for the good of human beings, not to diminish them, not to replace them,” Leo said, speaking in English to the international audience.  

 The pope has quickly made the challenge of artificial intelligence a signature issue of his pontificate, highlighting it at a meeting with the College of Cardinals two days after his election last month. 

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, pictured here greeting Pope Leo XIV, was among the leaders from 68 countries gathered at the Vatican for the Jubilee of Governments. Credit: Vatican Media
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, pictured here greeting Pope Leo XIV, was among the leaders from 68 countries gathered at the Vatican for the Jubilee of Governments. Credit: Vatican Media

In his speech to political leaders on Saturday, Leo also urged them to promote the common good in other ways, including by “working to overcome the unacceptable disproportion between the immense wealth concentrated in the hands of a few and the world’s poor.” The pope decried such inequality as a leading cause of war. 

Pope Leo stressed the importance of religious freedom and encouraged political leaders to follow the example of the 16th-century St. Thomas More as a “martyr for freedom and for the primacy of conscience.” More was executed for refusing to recognize King Henry VIII as head of the Church in England instead of the pope. 

Leo also recommended the ethical tradition of natural law, whose roots in classical antiquity predate Christianity, as “a shared point of reference in political activity” and “an element that unites everyone” regardless of religious belief. 

Natural law arguments have played a prominent role in several recent legal and political debates, over issues including abortion, euthanasia, religious freedom, same-sex marriage and transgender policies. 

The pope told the political leaders that “natural law, which is universally valid apart from and above other more debatable beliefs, constitutes the compass by which to take our bearings in legislating and acting, particularly on the delicate and pressing ethical issues that, today more than in the past, regard personal life and privacy.”

Argentine businessman Enrique Shaw one step closer to beatification

Venerable Enrique Shaw. / Credit: Acdeano, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Buenos Aires, Argentina, Jun 21, 2025 / 09:00 am (CNA).

The cause for canonization of Venerable Enrique Shaw, an Argentine husband, father, and businessman remembered for his vocation of service and his close ties to the working class, took another step forward at the Vatican this week.

In January, the miracle attributed to his intercession passed a medical review of its authenticity, and on June 17 the commission of theologians also unanimously approved it, the vice postulator of the cause, Bishop Santiago Olivera, confirmed to the AICA news agency.

“The cause of Enrique Shaw has already passed the initial stage of medical consultation, and now the theological experts, who are studying the prayers addressed to the ‘candidate’ and their fruits, have expressed their unanimous opinion this Tuesday regarding the prayer asking for the grace of healing,” the prelate explained, encouraging people to continue praying “with renewed faith and confidence.”

Olivera is in Rome where, prior to the theological commission’s verdict, he had a private audience with the Holy Father, with whom he was able to discuss Shaw’s cause for canonization. In an interview with the program “En Clave Grote,” the bishop for the military diocese of Argentina gave details about the meeting.

“I was able to talk about several of our causes, and I told [the Holy Father] about Enrique Shaw, which gave me great joy. I told him that the theological commission was meeting today ... I told him: Later, God willing, it will go to the ordinary commission of cardinals and bishops, and then you, if you see fit, will have to sign, and we will have a new blessed, and [the pope] smiled,” the prelate recounted.

Who was Enrique Shaw?

Shaw was born on Feb. 26, 1921. His mother died when he was 4 years old and following her request, his father entrusted his son’s education to a priest.

Shaw completed his primary education at La Salle School in Buenos Aires and then entered the Naval Military School, where he discovered his apostolic vocation.

In 1943, he married Cecilia Bunge, and they had nine children. After retiring from the Navy in 1945, he decided to become a laborer, but a priest advised him and he leaned toward entrepreneurship, a vocation that would bear great fruit.

He was not only the general manager of Cristalerías (glassworks) Rigolleau, demonstrating exemplary concern and closeness to his employees, but he was also one of the founders and the first president of the Christian Association of Business Leaders, which continues to this day, bringing a human perspective to work.

Shaw served on the first board of directors of UCA (Catholic University of Argentina), worked to establish Argentine Catholic Action and the Christian Family Movement, and promoted the passage of the Family Allowance Law, a living wage based on family size or children’s disabilities. 

While still very young, he fell ill with cancer, and when he needed blood transfusions, it was his own workers who offered to donate blood for him. He died on Aug. 27, 1962, at the age of 41.

In April 2021, Pope Francis authorized the promulgation of the decree recognizing the heroic virtues of the venerable businessman, faithful layman, and father of a large family.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

New study reveals the rosary rivals modern meditation for mental health benefits 

null / Credit: Sasapin Kanka|Shutterstock

Brussels, Belgium, Jun 21, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).

In an era where mindfulness apps dominate smartphones and meditation studios populate urban corners, a new groundbreaking international study suggests that the ancient Catholic prayer practice of praying the rosary may offer comparable mental health benefits to Eastern-inspired meditation techniques.

The research, published in the Journal of Religion and Health, also challenges assumptions made about traditional practices like the rosary, revealing surprising insights about who is actually praying the rosary in 2025.

Researchers from Italy, Poland, and Spain surveyed 361 practicing Catholics to assess the impact of praying the rosary on well-being and mental health. They found that participants who prayed the rosary reported higher levels of well-being, increased empathy, and significantly lower levels of religious struggle or spiritual anxiety — which research has shown can be benefits of other meditation techniques.

Researchers also found that 62.2% of participants held graduate or master’s degrees, challenging an assumption they say some may hold that traditional Catholic devotions appeal mainly to the less educated. 

“We were struck by how this traditional practice transcends educational and generational boundaries,” said lead researcher Father Lluis Oviedo from the Pontifical University Antonianum in Rome.

Oviedo told CNA that the study originated out of a frustration that a lot of research had been devoted to the benefits of practicing mindfulness and other meditation techniques, but practically nothing has been published about the rosary, despite it clearly being a form of meditation too.

“Our team tried to explore whether we could find similar benefits in this Catholic prayer to those attributed to more fashionable forms of meditation,” he said. “I was convinced that we would find positive results as I knew from personal experience and the testimonies of others what this prayer meant and what they experienced during it.”

Challenging stereotypes 

The research revealed cultural variations across the three countries studied.

Poland showed the highest engagement, with participants scoring 3.70 on rosary practice frequency (compared with 3.38 in Italy and 3.35 in Spain). This aligns with Poland’s reputation as one of Europe’s most religiously observant nations where Catholic traditions remain deeply woven into the social fabric despite decades of communist suppression. 

Italy, despite hosting the Vatican, showed more moderate engagement levels. Italian participants reported the highest empathy scores (4.31), suggesting that the practice’s benefits extend beyond personal spirituality to enhanced social connection — a finding that resonates with Italy’s communal culture. 

Spain presented an intriguing paradox: lower rosary practice frequency but strong well-being outcomes among those who do pray it regularly. This may reflect Spain’s complex relationship with Catholicism, where traditional practices persist alongside rapid secularization. 

The mental health connection 

Perhaps the study’s most striking finding is how praying the rosary functions as a mental health intervention. 

Participants consistently reported that the practice provided “spiritual peace, calm, and confidence” (26.3%), helped with “coping with problems” (10.2%), and offered “protection against evil” (8.6%). 

One participant said: “Praying the rosary saved my life. After my husband’s death, I couldn’t cope with the pain and emptiness. Every day, I reached for the rosary and it gave me the strength to survive these difficult moments. Without it, I don’t know how I would have managed.”

The research also showed that praying the rosary correlated positively with reduced depression and increased optimism about the future. These effects rival those reported in studies of mindfulness meditation yet come without the sometimes hefty price tags of meditation retreats or app subscriptions.

Why it matters 

The study’s implications extend far beyond Catholic communities. As mental health crises escalate globally — with particular severity in the U.S. and Europe — the research suggests society may be overlooking accessible, culturally rooted resources for psychological well-being.

In the U.S., where the wellness industry generates billions annually, the findings raise questions about the commodification of spiritual practices. Why pay for expensive meditation classes when a traditional practice offers similar benefits? The study also challenges assumptions some have that Eastern non-Christian practices are superior to Western spiritual traditions.

For Germany, where both Catholic and Protestant traditions have shaped the culture but face declining influence, the research offers a potential bridge between secular mental health approaches and traditional spiritualities. German Catholics might find validation in maintaining practices often dismissed as outdated.

The implications for Poland are particularly significant. As the country navigates tensions between its deeply Catholic identity and European Union secularization pressures, the study provides empirical support for the mental health value of traditional practices — potentially influencing both health care policy and cultural debates. 

In Italy, where Catholicism remains culturally significant despite declining Mass attendance, the findings suggest that traditional practices like the rosary might serve as accessible mental health resources, particularly for older populations who may be less comfortable with secular therapy. 

Breaking down barriers 

The researchers noted a striking bias in academic literature: PubMed contains 30,060 entries for “mindfulness” but only 13 for “rosary prayer.” This disparity reflects broader cultural prejudices that often dismiss Western devotions as more primitive. 

“From a purely cultural phenomenological point of view, mindfulness is in, glamorous, fashionable and interesting, while the rosary is out, outdated, boring and uninteresting,” the researchers observed. Yet their data suggests this perception is more about cultural fashion than empirical reality. 

The study’s network analysis revealed that religiosity impacts well-being both directly and through two key pathways: increasing empathy and reducing religious struggle. The repetitive nature of the rosary — similar to mantra meditation — appears to create a meditative state that calms anxiety and promotes emotional regulation.

Interestingly, the practice wasn’t associated with social isolation or narrow-mindedness, as stereotypes might suggest. Instead, higher levels of rosary prayer correlated with increased empathy, suggesting it enhances rather than diminishes social connection.

“One thing is certain, there is a divide within the Catholic Church, and within other churches, between those who pray and adopt a devotional stance, and those who interpret their Christian faith in terms of social awareness and involvement,” Oviedo said. “It is time to overcome this kind of binary model and adopt a style that combines devotion and empathy towards others. A divorce between the two makes the Christian message and the salvation we offer in Christ less credible and effective.”

The power of repetitive prayer 

As societies grapple with mental health epidemics, spiritual emptiness, and the limitations of purely pharmaceutical approaches to psychological well-being, the research suggests benefits from a more inclusive view of contemplative practices. The rosary’s accessibility — requiring only beads and some time — makes it particularly relevant for economically disadvantaged populations who can’t afford therapy or meditation classes. 

The study does not advocate for religious conversion or suggest that the rosary is superior to other practices. Rather, it argues for recognizing the diverse ways humans cope with suffering and find meaning. 

One researcher concluded: “We count on a broader palette of spiritual or religious expressions with similar positive effects, and so, we can avoid some almost spiritual monopolies and one-sided expressions in the usual counseling and caring interventions.”

Longer-term impact

Oviedo said it is too early to evaluate the reception of this study. 

“I was quite surprised that there was media interest in this topic, as it has been neglected in many settings, even within Catholic circles,” he said. “The worst aspect is the theological indifference or even hostility towards such devotional practices, which are considered alien to standard theology. The problem runs deeper, relating to a theology that is unable to connect with believers in how they live and express their faith.”

Oviedo said Catholics need to develop a “lived theology” — or a “theology from below.”

“This theological approach requires us to pay more attention to how believers feel, how they experience their faith, and how they sense salvation in action,” he said. “Indeed, many studies on religion, health, well-being, and flourishing are published every year, but almost no theologians pay any attention to them, even though they reveal the positive effects of religious faith and intense religious practice, or how to recognize salvation as something real. The rosary is a good example of this and suggests a different approach to theology if we really want to make the Christian message more credible.”

New study reveals the rosary rivals modern meditation for mental health benefits 

null / Credit: Sasapin Kanka|Shutterstock

Brussels, Belgium, Jun 21, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).

A new study suggests that the ancient Catholic practice of praying the rosary may offer comparable mental health benefits to Eastern-inspired meditation techniques.

‘He’s one of us’: New short film chronicles Pope Leo XIV’s Chicago life before papacy

The outside of Guaranteed Rate Field, where the Chicago White Sox baseball team plays. / Credit: Spirit Juice Studios

CNA Staff, Jun 21, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

From popping a wheelie in front of Pope Leo XIV’s childhood home to sitting in “the pope’s chair” at a favorite local pizzeria, filmmaker Rob Kaczmark appeared to be enjoying every stop along a tour of Pope Leo’s childhood stomping grounds in a new short film released by Spirit Juice, a Catholic production company.

The film, which Kaczmark called “a tribute to a South Side kid who made it all the way to the Vatican,” is now available on YouTube.

“I’m still in awe of the fact that Pope Leo is from here. He’s one of us,” Kaczmark says in the film. “No matter where you’re from, God can use you. You just have to be open to his call.” 

CEO and President of Spirit Juice Studios Rob Kaczmark films outside of St. Rita of Cascia High School, the high school were Pope Leo XIV taught math. Credit: Spirit Juice Studios
CEO and President of Spirit Juice Studios Rob Kaczmark films outside of St. Rita of Cascia High School, the high school were Pope Leo XIV taught math. Credit: Spirit Juice Studios

The filmmaker, who is CEO and president of Spirit Juice, grew up minutes from the pope’s hometown of Dolton, Illinois. In the film, he drives to several key locations — from Pope Leo’s time in Chicago, including his childhood parish, St. Mary of the Assumption, and Guaranteed Rate Field, where the Chicago White Sox baseball team plays and where the pope famously attended a World Series game in 2005.

Kaczmark not only shares local historical details about the sites but also personal stories about how these same places played a role in the pope’s younger years. At Aurelio’s, the pope’s favorite local pizzeria, which also recently unveiled its “pope-a-roni” pizza, Kaczmark tells viewers that it was in this pizzeria that he told his parents that he and his wife were expecting their first child.

St. Mary of the Assumption, the parish Pope Leo XIV attended with his family during his childhood. Credit: Spirit Juice Studios
St. Mary of the Assumption, the parish Pope Leo XIV attended with his family during his childhood. Credit: Spirit Juice Studios

Another stop on the tour was St. Rita of Cascia High School, where Pope Leo taught math and physics. Kaczmark told CNA in an interview that he had several friends who went there and he himself spent a lot of time at this high school in the 1990s as a DJ at school dances. 

When Kaczmark first heard the news that the new pope was from Chicago, he said “it didn’t fully register.”

“It’s just like a really weird feeling when you see this person come out that you know is going to be such an important figure in your life, but you have no idea who they are,” he said. 

It wasn’t until a couple days later, after leaving Mass, that Kaczmark fully processed that the pope was from his hometown, and after that realization he knew he needed to do something to honor this other “South Sider.”

He shared that now walking around the streets of Chicago “there’s definitely a buzz, I think, around the city for Pope Leo.”

A photo of Pope Leo XIV hangs in Aurelio's Pizzeria. Credit: Spirit Juice Studios
A photo of Pope Leo XIV hangs in Aurelio's Pizzeria. Credit: Spirit Juice Studios

Kaczmark also recently attended the “Chicago Celebrates Pope Leo XIV” event held on June 14 at Rate Field, where the pope addressed those in attendance via a video message. 

He and his team arrived early to get video footage of the atmosphere outside the park before the event started and recalled those gathered being “so jazzed to be there … people were singing and dancing.”

Seeing the buzz that the newly elected pope has caused in his hometown, Kaczmark said he believes that “Chicago has the opportunity to be transformed because Pope Leo is from here” as well as “an opportunity for the United States.”

Kaczmark said he hopes this papacy will help the Church “lead in a way that doesn’t feel like there’s a political agenda attached to it but is leading people towards Christ in a very authentic way.”

Watch the South Side Chicago tour of Pope Leo’s childhood spots below.

‘He’s one of us’: New short film chronicles Pope Leo XIV’s Chicago life before papacy

The outside of Guaranteed Rate Field, where the Chicago White Sox baseball team plays. / Credit: Spirit Juice Studios

CNA Staff, Jun 21, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

From popping a wheelie in front of Pope Leo XIV’s childhood home to sitting in “the pope’s chair” at a favorite local pizzeria, filmmaker Rob Kaczmark appeared to be enjoying every stop along a tour of Pope Leo’s childhood stomping grounds in a new short film released by Spirit Juice, a Catholic production company.

The film, which Kaczmark called “a tribute to a South Side kid who made it all the way to the Vatican,” is now available on YouTube.

“I’m still in awe of the fact that Pope Leo is from here. He’s one of us,” Kaczmark says in the film. “No matter where you’re from, God can use you. You just have to be open to his call.” 

CEO and President of Spirit Juice Studios Rob Kaczmark films outside of St. Rita of Cascia High School, the high school were Pope Leo XIV taught math. Credit: Spirit Juice Studios
CEO and President of Spirit Juice Studios Rob Kaczmark films outside of St. Rita of Cascia High School, the high school were Pope Leo XIV taught math. Credit: Spirit Juice Studios

The filmmaker, who is CEO and president of Spirit Juice, grew up minutes from the pope’s hometown of Dolton, Illinois. In the film, he drives to several key locations — from Pope Leo’s time in Chicago, including his childhood parish, St. Mary of the Assumption, and Guaranteed Rate Field, where the Chicago White Sox baseball team plays and where the pope famously attended a World Series game in 2005.

Kaczmark not only shares local historical details about the sites but also personal stories about how these same places played a role in the pope’s younger years. At Aurelio’s, the pope’s favorite local pizzeria, which also recently unveiled its “pope-a-roni” pizza, Kaczmark tells viewers that it was in this pizzeria that he told his parents that he and his wife were expecting their first child.

St. Mary of the Assumption, the parish Pope Leo XIV attended with his family during his childhood. Credit: Spirit Juice Studios
St. Mary of the Assumption, the parish Pope Leo XIV attended with his family during his childhood. Credit: Spirit Juice Studios

Another stop on the tour was St. Rita of Cascia High School, where Pope Leo taught math and physics. Kaczmark told CNA in an interview that he had several friends who went there and he himself spent a lot of time at this high school in the 1990s as a DJ at school dances. 

When Kaczmark first heard the news that the new pope was from Chicago, he said “it didn’t fully register.”

“It’s just like a really weird feeling when you see this person come out that you know is going to be such an important figure in your life, but you have no idea who they are,” he said. 

It wasn’t until a couple days later, after leaving Mass, that Kaczmark fully processed that the pope was from his hometown, and after that realization he knew he needed to do something to honor this other “South Sider.”

He shared that now walking around the streets of Chicago “there’s definitely a buzz, I think, around the city for Pope Leo.”

A photo of Pope Leo XIV hangs in Aurelio's Pizzeria. Credit: Spirit Juice Studios
A photo of Pope Leo XIV hangs in Aurelio's Pizzeria. Credit: Spirit Juice Studios

Kaczmark also recently attended the “Chicago Celebrates Pope Leo XIV” event held on June 14 at Rate Field, where the pope addressed those in attendance via a video message. 

He and his team arrived early to get video footage of the atmosphere outside the park before the event started and recalled those gathered being “so jazzed to be there … people were singing and dancing.”

Seeing the buzz that the newly elected pope has caused in his hometown, Kaczmark said he believes that “Chicago has the opportunity to be transformed because Pope Leo is from here” as well as “an opportunity for the United States.”

Kaczmark said he hopes this papacy will help the Church “lead in a way that doesn’t feel like there’s a political agenda attached to it but is leading people towards Christ in a very authentic way.”

Watch the South Side Chicago tour of Pope Leo’s childhood spots below.

Leo XIV to celebrate his first solemnity of Corpus Christi as pope this Sunday

Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass for the Jubilee of Sport on June 15, 2025, in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Jun 21, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV is preparing to celebrate the solemnity of Corpus Christi for the first time as bishop of Rome, one of the rare occasions on which a pontiff leaves the Vatican to celebrate publicly in the city.

As is the tradition, Leo XIV will celebrate Mass in St. John Lateran Basilica, the pope’s cathedral as bishop of Rome. He has also confirmed his subsequent presence at St. Mary Major Basilica.

However, it remains unclear whether he will walk — or otherwise take — the route between the two basilicas.

A statement from the Holy See Press Office confirmed the celebration for the feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ at 5 p.m. local time on Sunday, June 22, in St. John Lateran Basilica’s square.

However, the Vatican only specified that “the Eucharistic procession will then take place, traveling along Via Merulana and arriving at St. Mary Major Basilica,” wording that leaves several scenarios open.

Popes have made the procession in different ways. In 2004, John Paul II, suffering from serious health problems, traveled this route seated in the popemobile. The following year, in May 2005, Benedict XVI accompanied the procession on his knees in a white, open-top vehicle that moved slowly, surrounded by a crowd of faithful praying with candles in hand.

In his first year as pontiff, Pope Francis surprised everyone by choosing to walk behind the Blessed Sacrament in a gesture of ecclesial closeness that he repeated in subsequent years.

Since 2014, the Argentine pontiff preferred not to participate in the procession and instead appeared directly at the Marian basilica. He also introduced several new features — for example, celebrating Corpus Christi in marginalized neighborhoods of Rome rather than in Rome’s cathedral.

In 2018, Francis offered the Mass for this liturgical solemnity, which celebrates the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist, in Ostia, a seaside town outside Rome, attended by some 10,000 people.

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, the celebration was moved to St. Peter’s Basilica due to restrictions on social gatherings, and in other years Francis was unable to attend at all for health reasons.

In 2024, he celebrated this liturgical feast again in St. John Lateran Basilica in Rome, marking his final Corpus Christi as pope.

This Sunday, attention will be focused on how the new pope chooses to live out and express one of the most emblematic celebrations of the Catholic faith.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Leo XIV to celebrate his first solemnity of Corpus Christi as pope this Sunday

Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass for the Jubilee of Sport on June 15, 2025, in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Jun 21, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV is preparing to celebrate the solemnity of Corpus Christi for the first time as bishop of Rome, one of the rare occasions on which a pontiff leaves the Vatican to celebrate publicly in the city.

As is the tradition, Leo XIV will celebrate Mass in St. John Lateran Basilica, the pope’s cathedral as bishop of Rome. He has also confirmed his subsequent presence at St. Mary Major Basilica.

However, it remains unclear whether he will walk — or otherwise take — the route between the two basilicas.

A statement from the Holy See Press Office confirmed the celebration for the feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ at 5 p.m. local time on Sunday, June 22, in St. John Lateran Basilica’s square.

However, the Vatican only specified that “the Eucharistic procession will then take place, traveling along Via Merulana and arriving at St. Mary Major Basilica,” wording that leaves several scenarios open.

Popes have made the procession in different ways. In 2004, John Paul II, suffering from serious health problems, traveled this route seated in the popemobile. The following year, in May 2005, Benedict XVI accompanied the procession on his knees in a white, open-top vehicle that moved slowly, surrounded by a crowd of faithful praying with candles in hand.

In his first year as pontiff, Pope Francis surprised everyone by choosing to walk behind the Blessed Sacrament in a gesture of ecclesial closeness that he repeated in subsequent years.

Since 2014, the Argentine pontiff preferred not to participate in the procession and instead appeared directly at the Marian basilica. He also introduced several new features — for example, celebrating Corpus Christi in marginalized neighborhoods of Rome rather than in Rome’s cathedral.

In 2018, Francis offered the Mass for this liturgical solemnity, which celebrates the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist, in Ostia, a seaside town outside Rome, attended by some 10,000 people.

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, the celebration was moved to St. Peter’s Basilica due to restrictions on social gatherings, and in other years Francis was unable to attend at all for health reasons.

In 2024, he celebrated this liturgical feast again in St. John Lateran Basilica in Rome, marking his final Corpus Christi as pope.

This Sunday, attention will be focused on how the new pope chooses to live out and express one of the most emblematic celebrations of the Catholic faith.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

The Body and Blood of Christ

The Solemnity of Corpus Christi and Holy Thursday. Holy Thursday, the night of the Last Supper — the institution of the Holy Eucharist — why did Jesus do what he did and say what he said? What did he mean when he said “This is my body and this is my blood” and “Do this […]

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