Pope Leo XIV invites the Jesuit review La Civiltà Cattolica’s writers and collaborators to embrace their mission of “perceiving the gaze of Christ upon the world, cultivating it, communicating it, and bearing witness to it.”
By Deborah Castellano Lubov
Addressing the editorial staff of the historic Jesuit review La Civiltà Cattolica on the occasion of its 175th anniversary, Pope Leo XIV urged those before him to transmit hope through our Lord.
La Civiltà Cattolica is one of the oldest magazines still in existence, founded on 6 April 1850 at the behest of Blessed Pope Pius IX. Since then, it has become an instrument for reading and interpreting history, politics, culture, science and art in the light of the Christian faith, in line with the positions of the Pope and the Holy See.
The Pope reminded them that as they report current events, which often challenge our hope, they must transmit to faithful that Christians are to keep faith.
In this context, Pope Leo quoted his late predecessor Pope Benedict XVI, who in his 2007 encyclical Spe salvi underscored, “My life and the history of the world are not left to chance. Providence does not cease. It is as if I had a certainty: beyond all failures, I know that my life is held firm by the power of God’s love. And thus hope remains, even in the midst of shipwrecks.”
Gratitude to La Civiltà Cattolica
The Holy Father recognized the significance of the journal’s milestone anniversary, acknowledging its enduring contribution to the Church, saying he thanked them for their centuries-long faithful and generous service to the Holy See.
“Your work,” he expressed, “has contributed—and continues to contribute—to making the Church present in the world of culture, in harmony with the teachings of the Pope and the orientations of the Holy See.”
Describing the journal as “a window on the world,” the Pope also marveled at “one of its distinguishing features,” namely its ability “to engage with contemporary events without fear of confronting their challenges and contradictions.”
Responsibility to educate a better society and world
In his address, Pope Leo proposed three key areas of reflection for the community: educating people to intelligent and active engagement in the world, giving voice to the least and the excluded, and being heralds of hope.
On the first point of educating, Pope Leo emphasized, “What you write can help your readers better understand the complex society in which we live, evaluating its strengths and weaknesses.”
By doing so, he said, the review enables its readers to make meaningful contributions to society, including in the political sphere, on matters such as social equity, family, education, technological change, and peace.
Fundamental aspect of the life and mission of every Christian
The Pope then turned to the second point of being a voice for the voiceless, and, moreover, “becoming a voice of the poor and the excluded.”
He called this task “a fundamental aspect of the life and mission of every Christian,” and quoted Pope Francis who called on society to remember those who are so often discarded.
To live this mission authentically, Pope Leo XIV said, requires humble listening and being close to those who suffer.
“Only in this way,” he suggested, “is it possible to become a faithful and prophetic echo of the voice of those in need, breaking every circle of isolation, loneliness, and deafness.”
‘Our ultimate hope in Christ’
Finally, Pope Leo called La Civiltà Cattolica to be heralds of hope.
“This means,” he reaffirmed, “standing against the indifference of those who remain insensitive to others and to their legitimate need for a future” and “overcoming the discouragement of those who no longer believe in the possibility of taking new paths.”
For us, he pointed out, “the ultimate hope is Christ, our way: ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life’ (Jn 14:6).”
“In Him and with Him,” he reflected, “there are no longer dead ends along our journey, nor are there realities—no matter how difficult or complex—that can stop us or prevent us from loving God and our brothers and sisters with trust.”
Christ’s gaze on the world
Pope Leo went on to remember two memorable reflections the late Pope Francis offered to La Civiltà Cattolica.
Pope Francis, Pope Leo XIV recalled, had reminded the community to continue their work “with joy, through good journalism, which adheres to no other allegiance than that of the Gospel,” and had underscored that a “a journal is truly ‘Catholic’ only if it has Christ’s gaze on the world, and if it transmits and bears witness to that gaze.”
With this sentiment, Pope Leo affirmed, “These words summarize your mission: to perceive the gaze of Christ upon the world, to cultivate it, to communicate it, and to bear witness to it.”
Pope Leo XIV receives ‘La Civiltà Cattolica’ (@Vatican Media)
