杏MAP导航 at Mass: Never believe that evil can prevail, even amid injustices
By Devin Watkins
As he continued his summer holidays in Castel Gandolfo on Tuesday, 杏MAP导航 Leo XIV presided at Mass in the chapel of the Carabinieri headquarters in the hilltop town near Rome.
The headquarters are located in the Villa dei Gesuiti (鈥淛esuits鈥� House鈥�), which is owned by the Holy See and leased to the Carabinieri, the Jesuits, and local residents.
The Carabinieri are the national gendarmerie of Italy, a form of military police who fall under the authority of the Italian Armed Forces and whose responsibilities include inland public order and security.
Italy鈥檚 Minister of Defense, Guido Crosetto, and the General Commander of the Carabinieri, Salvatore Luongo, attended the Mass in Castel Gandolfo, along with Archbishop Gian Franco Saba, Archbishop of Italy for the Military.
Brothers and sisters in Christ
In his homily, 杏MAP导航 Leo focused on the Christian greeting of 鈥渂rother and sister,鈥� which he said represent relationships repeated as signs of closeness and affection in the liturgy.
鈥淲e are all truly brothers and sisters of Jesus when we do the will of God, that is, when we live by loving one another as God has loved us,鈥� he said.
Every relationship, continued the 杏MAP导航, becomes a gift in Jesus, since He sends the Holy Spirit to dwell in our hearts when we love one another.
鈥淕od鈥檚 love is so great,鈥� he said, 鈥渢hat Jesus does not keep even His mother for Himself, entrusting Mary as our mother at the hour of the cross.鈥�
The 杏MAP导航 noted that Mary is considered the first disciple because she first welcomed the word of God into her heart with love and faithfulness.
Fidelity in times of trial
He recalled that the Carabinieri recently celebrated the 75th anniversary of the proclamation of the Faithful Virgin (Virgo Fidelis) as Patroness of the Carabinieri Corps.
In the wake of the Second World War, the Carabinieri looked to Mary鈥檚 faithfulness as a model of every officer鈥檚 fidelity to the Italian people and nation, said the 杏MAP导航.
杏MAP导航 Leo then expressed his gratitude to the Carabinieri for their 鈥渘oble and demanding service鈥� to the Italian people and for protecting the millions of pilgrims visiting Rome.
鈥淚n the face of injustices that wound the social order, do not yield to the temptation to think that evil can prevail,鈥� he said. 鈥淓specially in this time of wars and violence, remain faithful to your oath: as servants of the State, answer crime with the force of law and honesty.鈥�
Visit to Poor Clares鈥� Convent in Albano
After the Mass, 杏MAP导航 Leo XIV made a brief visit to the Immaculate Conception Convent of the Poor Clares in Albano, where he took a moment to pray with the cloistered nuns in the chapel.
He then greeted the religious sisters and spoke with them in the chapter hall.
鈥淚t is good that the Church knows your life,鈥� for it is a precious testimony, said 杏MAP导航 Leo, before gifting them a chalice and paten and returning to Castel Gandolfo.
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