Pope Leo Reminds Religious Sisters That True Fidelity Begins in Encounter with the Risen Christ

Pope Leo XIV has encouraged two women’s religious congregations to ground their renewal in prayer and in a living encounter with the Risen Christ, reminding them that true fidelity in vocation flows from personal communion with the Lord. The Pope addressed participants of the General Chapters of the Religious of Jesus and Mary and the Missionary Sisters of Saint Charles Borromeo, Scalabrinians, during an audience held on Thursday at the Vatican.

Welcoming the Superiors and delegates from both congregations, the Pope expressed gratitude for their service to the Church and offered his blessings to the newly elected Superiors General. He highlighted that although the two communities were founded in different contexts, they share “the same love for the poor” and a charism deeply rooted in compassion and mercy.

Reflecting on the scriptural themes chosen for their meetings, “Jesus himself drew near” from the Gospel of Luke and “Wherever you go, I will go” from the Book of Ruth, Pope Leo said these passages reveal the dynamic between divine initiative and human response. In the story of the disciples on the road to Emmaus, Jesus walks beside them, revealing himself in the breaking of bread. In Ruth’s journey, the Pope explained, we see the steadfastness of love that refuses to abandon another, a symbol of loyalty and service.

The Pope recalled the example of Saint Claudine Thévenet, founder of the Religious of Jesus and Mary, and Saint Giovanni Battista Scalabrini, founder of the Scalabrinian congregation, along with Blessed Assunta Marchetti and Venerable Giuseppe Marchetti. Each, he said, lived through times of hardship yet remained unshaken in faith because of their intimate relationship with the Risen Christ. “The secret of such fidelity,” Pope Leo said, “is found in their encounter with Jesus. That is where it all began for them and where it must begin again for you.”

Turning to the purpose of the General Chapters, Pope Leo urged the sisters to see these gatherings as sacred opportunities for reflection and renewal. “Let Jesus walk alongside you,” he said, “and help you reread your history in the light of Easter.” He reminded them that the most important insights of such meetings are often born in silence and prayer rather than in debate. “What matures in the meeting rooms,” he added, “must be sown and sifted before the Tabernacle.”

The Pope invited the congregations to “give space to prayer and silence” in their discernment, insisting that genuine listening to God teaches how to listen to one another.

Finally, Pope Leo called on the sisters to recognize the presence of God in those who suffer. Quoting Pope Francis and Saint John Paul II, he said, “We must seek the face of God in our brothers and sisters in need.” He urged them to meet suffering with courage, compassion, and openness to new paths of mission. “To serve those who suffer,” he concluded, “is to walk with Christ himself.”