Pope at Angelus: Saint Francis shows us how to build peace through fraternal love
Pope Leo XIV said God’s mercy can transform evil and rejection into redemption, drawing on the Gospel parable of the vineyard. He recalled Saint Francis of Assisi, whose faith, poverty, prayer and charity helped renew the Church and heal divisions through fraternal love. On the 800th anniversary of Francis’s death, the Pope urged the faithful to pray for peace and work to build harmony among peoples. Pope Leo entrusted this mission to Mary before praying the Angelus in spiritual union with the faithful gathered at the Shrine of Pompeii.
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Pope Leo XIV used his October 4 Angelus to connect the Gospel parable of the vineyard with Saint Francis of Assisi’s example, saying that God can transform rejection and evil into redemption. Marking the 800th anniversary of Francis’ death, he urged Catholics to seek peace and build harmony among peoples; afterward, he appealed for prayers for those affected by war and announced a Vatican gathering on family life. 2
Reflecting on the parable of the tenants, Leo said Jesus was sent to bring salvation but was rejected and put to death by those who should have welcomed him. The Gospel, he said, points to the Father’s greater mercy: violence does not defeat God’s will, and what is rejected can become a foundation for redemption. 1 2
The Pope described the vineyard as an image of the Church, which people can either build up or damage through their choices. He said God guides history and comes to people’s aid in their failures. 2
Leo recalled Francis as a faithful worker in the Lord’s vineyard who responded to Christ’s call to repair the Church. Inspired by the Crucified Christ, Francis built his life on Christ and shared in his poverty, joy, and suffering; his prayer and charity also shaped the example of the first friars. 1 2
The Pope said Francis helped heal divisions through the witness of fraternal love. He added that the saint’s spiritual legacy continues to bear fruit through the Franciscan family and its gifts to the Church, and urged the faithful to pray persistently for peace and work sincerely for harmony among peoples during the Franciscan Jubilee Year. 1 2
Leo concluded the Angelus reflection by entrusting this work to Mary. He prayed in spiritual union with worshippers at the Shrine of Pompeii, where the traditional Supplication to the Virgin of the Holy Rosary was being offered. 1
After the prayer, Leo thanked children taking part in Aid to the Church in Need’s “A Million Children Praying the Rosary” initiative, held October 1–7. He asked people to follow their example and pray for peoples to be freed from war, especially for the Holy Land and innocent victims of violence. 2
The Pope also announced a Vatican gathering to mark the 10th anniversary of Pope Francis’ Amoris Laetitia. It will bring together leaders of the Eastern Catholic Churches and presidents of bishops’ conferences for synodal discernment on proclaiming the Gospel to families and younger generations; Leo asked the faithful to pray for the meeting and for families worldwide. 2*
Fraternal love grounds peace and ecclesial renewal
Fraternal love is not merely a pleasant consequence of peace; it is one of its foundations. The Church’s peace begins in hearts reconciled to God and to one another, and becomes visible in relationships marked by forgiveness, service, and care for the common good. Pope Francis teaches that reconciliation and peace are born from the heart, and that hearts united with Christ can help build a world shaped by love and justice.
This love also grounds ecclesial renewal. The Church is called to be a communion: Christ gathers people into one family, teaches them to forgive and serve rather than dominate, and nourishes mutual love through the Eucharist. Renewal therefore requires more than structures or programs. It calls every member of the Church—bishops, priests, religious, and laity—to work for reconciliation, recognize one another’s gifts, and contribute to the Church’s shared life.
Fraternal charity does not mean avoiding disagreement or correcting no one. It means seeking the other’s good with humility and mercy, including through correction that first examines one’s own faults. Such love can heal divisions and help prevent new ones. In this way, a community becomes a credible witness to the Gospel: a fraternity that sees each person’s dignity, bears patiently with life together, and seeks the happiness of others.
So peace and renewal grow together: as Christians learn to receive Christ’s love and share it with one another, the Church’s unity deepens and its witness to the world becomes more persuasive.