Pope Leo XIV greets the guests before lunch at the Borgo Laudato Si’, in the gardens of the Pontifical Villas of Castel Gandolfo (@Vatican Media)
Pope at lunch with the poor: We are God’s most beautiful
creation
Before sharing a lunch with the poor supported by Caritas
Albano in the Gardens of the Pontifical Villas, the Pope explained that each
one of us is made in the image of God, and that “we can find God’s presence in
everyone.”
By Alessandro Di Bussolo
Amid the beauty of nature and creation in the Gardens of the
Pontifical Villas at Castel Gandolfo and beneath the large gazebo set up for
the lunch with the poor, Pope Leo XIV, speaking off the cuff, invited everyone
to reflect on the fact that “the most beautiful of all creation is that which
was made in God’s image—that is, each one of us.”
Each person, he said, reflects that image of God. It is
essential that we always remember this truth: we can encounter God’s presence in
every individual. And so, even this afternoon’s gathering for lunch—organized
by the Borgo Laudato Si’ and the Diocese of Albano Laziale—is an experience of
communion, of fraternity, of being together with God.
Breaking bread and
sharing the Lord’s gifts
Looking out at the more than one hundred guests—poor and
vulnerable people supported by the diocesan Caritas of Albano, including
residents of shelters and group homes, the homeless, and those supported by
listening centers—the Pope spoke of the deep meaning behind “breaking bread
together, a gesture that for us all is deeply significant: the act through
which we recognize Jesus Christ present among us.”
The Pope shares a meal
with people experiencing poverty from the Diocese of Albano Laziale in the
Gardens of the Pontifical Villas. (@Vatican Media)
He continued: “It is the Holy Mass—but it is also all of us
gathered around the table, sharing the gifts the Lord has given us.”
Before the meal, Pope Leo asked for God’s blessing “upon the
gifts we are about to receive,” upon all “who worked to prepare this meal for
us,” and for those who made this celebration possible. He ended by praying:
“Help us, Lord, to always live united in Your love.”
Cardinal Baggio: The
Borgo Laudato Si’ opens its doors to those in need
In his remarks to the Pope and those present, Cardinal Fabio
Baggio—Director General of the Laudato Si’ Center for Advanced
Formation and Undersecretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral
Human Development—emphasized: “Today we witness the fulfillment of Pope Francis’
prophetic dream: the Borgo Laudato Si’ is not merely a place, but a way of
living the Gospel that first and foremost opens its doors to those in need—to
the poor, to the excluded.”
The communal table set
for the Pope’s lunch, arranged beneath a gazebo in the Borgo Laudato Si’ at
Castel Gandolfo. (@VATICAN MEDIA)
Before speeches or inaugurations, he said, comes fraternal
sharing, because “Gospel hospitality begins with the poor.” He also noted:
“There can be no authentic ecology without social justice. This is the great
teaching of Laudato Si’ and of the Church’s Social Doctrine.
Christian charity fulfills and surpasses justice, transforming it into tangible
love.”
Bishop Viva: The
beauty of the Gospel made concrete
Before the meal, Bishop Vincenzo Viva of Albano also offered
words of welcome, presenting the guests to Pope Leo XIV: “In the faces of those
seated at these tables today, we see the beauty of the Gospel made
concrete—living testimony of who we are as the Church of Albano.”
He added: “There is no ‘us’ and ‘them,’ no benefactors and
beneficiaries: there are only people sharing bread—and with it, their stories,
their struggles, and their hopes.”
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