The Pope in Chiclayo: 'A blessing for me to be here again'

What a joy to return to Chiclayo! It is a blessing for me to be with you again. Thank you for your affection, your support, and your prayers, especially those for my health in this time of trial that, with God's help, I am overcoming." Leone XIV began this way in the homily of the mass celebrated in the large square of "Pampas de Pimentel," just outside Chiclayo, his first engagement in the Peruvian city where he was bishop from 2015 to 2023 and which today welcomed him as if he were truly home. "Seeing your faces, it is spontaneous for me to give thanks to the Lord, because you have been and are a blessing for my life and for my episcopal ministry. I always remember you in my prayers; I also ask you to continue praying for me," the Pope said, interrupted several times by the applause of the crowd. Prevost focused his sermon on the need to "grow in the awareness that all Christians, ordained ministers or lay faithful, are missionary disciples, regardless of our role in the Church and the level of faith we possess." And to the question of "how can we carry forward the mission of evangelization," the answer is: "through the testimony of an authentically Christian and consistent life." According to the Pontiff, "to evangelize, therefore, is not the imposition of doctrines, nor relying on efficient structures, but it is giving testimony." "Evangelization, in fact, focuses on the testimony of life and community closeness," he explained, "and not on the persuasive speeches of mere human wisdom, nor on proselytism." Furthermore, he observed, "a deep respect for the conscience and freedom of every person is necessary." The Pope emphasized that "the dimension of charity is also indispensable for evangelization: the proclamation of faith must be united with charity and help to those in need." For a baptized person, in fact, "love for one's neighbor is the heart of the Christian message." This is why "evangelization must today confront the changing conditions and dynamics in the transmission of faith." "In some regions of the world," Pope Leone added, "this transmission has almost completely stopped; this situation requires courage from all of us to face new challenges, such as religious indifference, materialism, or selfishness, which dictate daily decisions." Yesterday evening, the Pope participated in a prayer vigil at the Estadio Nacional de Perú in front of over 50,000 young Peruvian people and university students. "Think about what excites you the most, the people you love, and the dreams you would be willing to fight for. Also think about those anxieties that sometimes keep you awake and what you would like to change. Jesus cares about all of this, because he cares about you," Leone urged. It was an evening during which the Pope often sang the songs sung by the young people, which he knew well from having sung them often during the years he lived in Peru as a missionary and as a bishop. The entire event took place in an atmosphere of great enthusiasm, with music and stadium choirs: among them, "this is the Pope's youth" was the most shouted. Prevost felt at home. And his speech was more of an affectionate dialogue with the young people than a theological intervention.