Pope Leo XIV Urges 1.4 Billion Catholics to Answer Hatred With Love at Angelus

3 articles · Updated · Vatican News - English · Jun 21

At Sunday’s Angelus in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Leo XIV told Christians to meet hatred with love, arrogance with meekness and discouragement with perseverance.
He said credible evangelization begins in prayer, silence and contemplation, arguing that witness flows from a personal encounter with Christ rather than techniques or resources.
Quoting Matthew’s Gospel and invoking St. Thomas Aquinas, Leo said believers can proclaim publicly only what they have first received inwardly and contemplated deeply.
He framed the appeal against the backdrop of early Christian persecution and said believers in some parts of the world still face similar hostility today.
The message reinforced his broader call for all Christians—not only monks or saints—to deepen faith so they can offer the world hope, love and peace.