Pope Leo at the Vespers (@Vatican Media)
Pope:
'God will not save without us'
Pope Leo
celebrates Vespers at the Domus Australia, a spiritual home for Australian
pilgrims in Rome.
By
Mario Galgano
On the eve
of the Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Rosary, Pope Leo XIV celebrated
Vespers at the Domus Australia in Rome, a church guesthouse that primarily
accommodates Australian and English-speaking pilgrims and tourists.
Originally
established as a Marist Fathers’ residence, the Domus Australia was acquired in
the late 2000s by the Archdiocese of Sydney with support from other Australian
dioceses. It was officially inaugurated in 2011 by Pope Benedict XVI as a
spiritual home for Australian pilgrims in Rome.
The
celebration in Rome drew a significant crowd of faithful who greeted Pope Leo
XIV with chants of "Viva il Papa!" and applause.
Many gathered with their children at windows along the streets. Inside the
chapel of Domus Australia — dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii —
members of Rome’s Australian Catholic community assembled, joined by Cardinal
Raymond Leo Burke.
For the
Vespers service, Pope Leo XIV entered the church and paused silently before the
Blessed Sacrament. The London-based choir The Gradualia Consort welcomed
him with a rendition of Tu es Petrus.
The celebration in Rome
(@Vatican Media)
A message
of Marian hope
In his
homily, Pope Leo XIV reflected on the role of the Virgin Mary in the context of
the Jubilee Year, which he described as a time marked by hope. "In a
particular way, Mary embodied [hope] through her trust that God would fulfil
his promises,” the Pope said. “This hope, in turn, gave her the strength and
courage to spend her life willingly for the sake of the Gospel and abandon
herself entirely to God’s will.”
Pope Leo
reminded the faithful that the Incarnation first took place “in Mary’s heart”
before it occurred in her womb. God never delays, the Pope stated; rather,
people are called to learn patience and trust: "God's time is always
perfect."
Opening
our hearts
Pope Leo
XIV emphasized that God not only frees humanity from sin but also opens hearts,
enabling us — like Mary — to say “yes” to His calling. Through baptism, all are
made children of God. Quoting St. Augustine, the Pope said: “God
created us without us, but He will not save us without us.” He
called on believers to take an active role in God’s plan of salvation with
fidelity, trust, and gratitude.
He
concluded by inviting the faithful to pray the Magnificat with Mary. “In doing
so” he said, “let us reflect on how Mary, the true Daughter of Zion, rejoiced
in God, her Savior, because she saw the graces bestowed on her and how God has
always been faithful to Abraham and his descendants.”
A
spiritual home for Australians
Since its
opening, Domus Australia has offered daily Mass in English, along with
Eucharistic Adoration and sacred music. At its dedication in 2011, Pope
Benedict XVI expressed hope that Australian pilgrims “would return home with a
strengthened faith, a more joyful hope, and a more fervent love.”
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