Pope in Naples: Church must offer closeness amid inequalities and difficulties
By Isabella H. de Carvalho
Every member of the Church – priests, religious and laypeople – is called to be a strong presence as a witness of Christ’s love, especially in the face of injustices and difficulties, Pope Leo XIV said in a meeting with the clergy and religious in Naples on Friday.
“In a city marked by inequality, youth unemployment, school dropouts, and family instability, the proclamation of the Gospel cannot be separated from a concrete and supportive presence that involves everyone—priests, religious, and laypeople alike,” he underlined in his address at the Naples Cathedral.
“Don’t forget: you are part of a love story—that of the Lord for His people—which began before you and will not end with you; you are part of it as unique and indispensable pieces; you are part of it so that, even amid the dense shadows of darkness, you may turn on a light,” he continued.
“Do not be afraid, do not lose heart, and be, for this Church and for this city, witnesses of Christ and sowers of the future!”
Pope Leo XIV visited Naples and Pompeii on May 8, as he marked the first anniversary of his election to the See of Peter.
In the morning, he celebrated Mass in Pompeii, met with local representatives of charity initiatives connected to the Shrine of the Blessed Virgin of the Rosary of Pompeii, and prayed to Our Lady of Pompeii, before traveling in the afternoon to Naples by helicopter to meet the clergy and later the local population.
Cardinal Domenico Battaglia, Archbishop of Naples, was present at the meeting in the Cathedral and gave an address. Pope Leo XIV also held up the reliquary containing the ampoules of the blood of Saint Januarius, patron saint of the city, and prayed before the Blessed Sacrament in the chapel dedicated to the saint.
Importance of caring
In his address, Pope Leo highlighted Naples’ multifaceted nature, as it is a city known for its beauty, traditions, cultural richness, joyful population, and “vibrant popular religiosity,” while also being marked by “numerous social fragilities,” “the many faces of poverty," and violence.
In this difficult context, he encouraged the faithful to focus on the importance of caring.
He recalled when Jesus appeared to the disciples of Emmaus. Like them, he explained, we go about our lives “without being able to interpret the signs of history,” as we are “discouraged and disappointed by so many problems or by personal and pastoral hopes that seem not to be fulfilled.”
However, the Pope insisted, Jesus always walks alongside us and guides, as “His attitude is that of one who cares for us.”
Inner care for priests and religious
Other than caring for the city and its spaces and those in difficult situations, Pope Leo also highlighted “the importance of inner care, which means caring for our heart, our humanity, and our relationships.”
He addressed this advice especially to those in the Church who have positions of responsibility or are consecrated religious.
“The weight of their ministry and the inner struggle that comes with it have, in some ways, become even more burdensome today than in the past,” the Pope said.
In Naples’ difficult and varying realities, the Pope called for pastoral ministry to embody a Christian faith that “is not limited to mere emotional experiences but penetrates deeply into the fabric of life and society.”
However, the Pope acknowledged that this is a difficult mission, especially for priests, in light of all the struggling people who may need help, such as “weary families,” “disoriented young people," or the poor.
“Added to this is often a sense of helplessness and bewilderment when we realize that our language and our actions seem inadequate to meet today’s new questions and challenges, especially those of the youngest,” he continued.
Ministry is not a task to be performed
He emphasized that “the human and pastoral burden is certainly heavy” and “it risks weighing us down, wearing us out, and exhausting our energies, and at times it can be further aggravated by a certain loneliness and a sense of pastoral isolation.”
Due to this, the Pope urged priests and religious to take care of themselves by constantly nourishing their relationship with God in order to be able to discern and let themselves be guided by the Holy Spirit.
“This also requires the courage to know when to pause, to not be afraid to reflect on the Gospel in light of the personal and pastoral situations we face, so as not to reduce ministry to a mere task to be performed,” Pope Leo said.
He also pointed out that to care for one’s ministry means living in fraternity and communion rooted in God, which is “expressed through friendship and mutual support, as well as through the sharing of pastoral projects and initiatives.”
Highlighting the risk of loneliness in our fragmented societies, the Pope suggested thinking of new forms of communal life in which priests can support one another.
“This is not merely a matter of attending a few meetings or events, but of working to overcome the temptation of individualism,” he said. “Let us reflect on this together, priests and religious! Let us practice the art of closeness!
Walk together to promote the Church’s mission
Pope Leo XIV then emphasized how communion needs to be built also by all the faithful and members of the Church, including laypeople and pastoral workers.
“Walking together in the Lord’s footsteps and carrying forward the mission of evangelization by valuing the various charisms and ministries responds to the very identity of the Church,” he insisted.
In this regard, he applauded the diocesan synod that the Archdiocese of Naples carried out, and encouraged them to continue on this path that involved the local Church in all her forms.
He then called all the members of the Church to listen to one another and walk together, in order to “move from a pastoral approach focused on preservation to a missionary one, capable of engaging with people’s real lives.”
“Everyone is an active participant in the Church’s pastoral ministry and life, not merely a collaborator, so that each person’s commitment and witness may foster a community that is present and attentive, capable of acting as leaven in the dough,” he concluded.
“A community that knows how to plan and offer pathways that help people live out the Gospel and draw inspiration from it to renew the city of Naples.”
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