Pilgrimage to Rome 2026: a gift for the soul

Once again, the pilgrimage to Rome with the CARF Foundation It describes unique moments that are not experienced on other trips to the Eternal City.

«Because, in addition to visiting the Vatican Caves, the crypt of the Popes, exploring the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel, the catacombs of Santa Priscilla, and walking non-stop through Rome, there are moments experienced on this pilgrimage that are truly impressive,» explains one of the pilgrims on this trip.

These moments, as one would expect, include Holy Mass in St. Peter's Basilica and the audience with Pope Leo XIV. Also noteworthy are the events organized by CARF to meet the priests and seminarians the Foundation supports: a discussion with Msgr. Fernando Ocáriz, prelate of Opus Dei and grand chancellor of the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross; the reception of the rector of the University, Professor Fernando Puig; a lunch at the PUSC with students and professors, in which experiences are exchanged, and a discussion with priests from different countries of the Tiberine Priestly College who are studying a degree at the Holy Cross in Rome.

A pilgrimage to Rome to experience it with all your soul.

«But if there's one thing I would highlight, it's the discussion with the hundred seminarists from the Sedes Sapientiae Seminary. Getting to know them firsthand, sharing their experiences, the needs of their countries, and the role of the Catholic Church makes you reflect that your donations »They are going to specific people in service to the universal Church," another pilgrim recounts.

And, as a final touch to this journey, another pilgrim highlights: «The care of the liturgy and the singing at all the masses is also overwhelming.».

Essential points of the itinerary:

Audience with Leo XIV

We will participate in the traditional Wednesday general audience in St. Peter's Square. It will be a special occasion to see Pope Leo XIV up close as he travels around the square in an open vehicle to greet pilgrims from all over the world.

At the end of the meeting, the Holy Father will impart his blessing to those present.

Vatican Scave and the Crypts

After the papal audience, we will discover some of the Vatican's most iconic landmarks. We will uncover the secrets of St. Peter's Square and visit the Church of San Lorenzo in Piscibus to participate in Holy Mass.

The day will continue with lunch at a restaurant near the square and a visit to the Vatican scavi, the necropolis located under St. Peter's Basilica, where the tombs of the Popes are found.

Catacombs of Saint Priscilla

We will visit the catacombs of Santa Priscilla, one of the oldest underground cemeteries in Rome, with more than 13 kilometers of galleries spread over two levels.

Among its treasures is a representation of the Virgin and Child, considered one of the oldest surviving Marian images. The painting, dated between 230 and 240, depicts the Virgin with the Child and a prophet pointing to a star above her head.

Visit to Villa Tevere

Villa Tevere is the headquarters of Opus Dei and houses the Prelatic Church of Santa Maria della Pace. The remains of Saint Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer rest in its main altar. The crypt also contains the remains of Blessed Álvaro del Portillo and Javier Echevarría, Saint Josemaría's first and second successors.

We will have a meeting with Monsignor Fernando Ocáriz, current prelate of Opus Dei and Grand Chancellor of the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross.

Sedes Sapientiae Seminar

In the heart of Rome is the Sedes Sapientiae International Seminary, where seminarians from different countries prepare for the priesthood through spiritual, academic, human and pastoral formation.

During the pilgrimage we will be able to share a day with their students, from 26 countries, and learn firsthand about their life of study, prayer and community in service to the universal Church.

And much more…

The program will include opportunities for meeting and fellowship with priests residing in Tiberino, who will share their testimonies with us. In addition, on Sunday we will attend the celebration of Holy Mass and pray the Angelus with the Pope.

We will also walk through part of Baroque Rome, discovering some of its churches around Piazza Navona and the Pantheon of Agrippa, one of the best-preserved monuments of Antiquity in the city.

Gallery

Marta Santínjournalist specializing in religion.

Angelus

Pope Leo XIV, St. Peter's Square

Sunday, October 25, 2026

Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday!

In today's Gospel (cf. Mt 22:34-40), the Lord leads us once again to the heart of our faith. A lawyer, to test Jesus, asks him, «Which is the greatest commandment in the Law?» (v. 36). The Master responds by quoting a passage from Deuteronomy: «You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength» (v. 37; cf. Dt 6:5). Christ indicates that the dimension of love is central to our relationship with God. It is not enough to know that God exists, that he is unique, or that he is omnipotent; the Lord asks us for a personal relationship: the one true God wants to be our God.

In our encounter with Him, the commandment of love is neither an obligation nor an imposition. We cannot love “by command.” Love for God is the very essence of human desire, which finds its fulfillment in communion with Him. Therefore, our love can be authentic when it is a response to His love, which always precedes us. Hence the need for a totality that involves the whole person: heart, soul, and mind.

To the first commandment, the Lord adds a second: «You shall love your neighbor as yourself» (Mt 22:39). This rule of life springs from the same source; therefore, Jesus says, it is like the first. From our intimate relationship with God, we are able to see ourselves and our neighbor with the same eyes as Christ, from his perspective. In this way, selfishness is overcome, and self-love becomes charity; our existence is directed toward others and becomes a gift for those around us.

Saint Thérèse of Lisieux understood this well: “Only love,” she wrote, “can move the members of the Church to action; if this love were to die out, the Gospel would no longer be proclaimed” (cf. Complete Works, Manuscript B, 3v°, Burgos 2006, 261). Without it, in fact, our faith would be deprived of its content, our good works would be reduced to mere moralizing, and our hope would be in vain.

Dear friends, we cannot truly love God without that love overflowing toward our brothers and sisters. And we cannot truly love our neighbor except as children of the same Father who first loved us in his Son Jesus.

Let us ask the Lord for the grace of a new heart, capable of embracing and living the great commandment. May the Virgin Mary intercede for us, in whose Immaculate Heart there is nothing but love.

After the Angelus

Dear brothers and sisters:

I continue to follow with deep concern the grave humanitarian situation in Yemen, particularly in the city of Taiz, where the population is suffering from a lack of food, water, and medical care. I make an urgent appeal for a cessation of hostilities and for the Yemeni people and all the peoples of the region to be guaranteed the right to live in peace.

I assure you of my prayers for those who died or were injured last Friday in the terrorist attack against the faithful of the Orthodox Church of St. George ad Hamoud in Jordan. I express my solidarity with that community and with the entire country, which is distinguished by its peaceful coexistence and respect among different religions.

We continue to pray together for peace. The day after tomorrow, October 27, let us unite spiritually with the representatives of the Churches and religious leaders who will gather in Assisi for the 40th anniversary of the meeting convened by Saint John Paul II. Today, more than ever, it is clear that wars, in addition to sowing death and destruction, impoverish and harm the world. May the Lord inspire decisions for dialogue and peace!

I greet all of you, dear faithful of Rome and pilgrims from different countries.

I welcome the members of the Roman Academic Center Foundation, from Spain; the group from St. Ciaran's College in Ballygawley, Ireland; and the group from the “Saint John Paul II” Schools, from the Diocese of Opole, Poland.

I am pleased to welcome the heads of the Ceremonial departments of some Italian ministries and government departments.

I greet the members of the association “Solidarity in good hands”, from Castiglion Fiorentino, and the group of contemporaries from Concorezzo who have come on pilgrimage for their 70th anniversary.

I wish you all a happy Sunday.

Jack Valero: Understanding Opus Dei from within.

«"These are not positive or negative stories. They are normal stories of people trying to do things, who are imperfect, who suffer, who see God enter their lives and respond in this way or that way, who enter the Work, who leave the Work.".

This is how Jack Valero explained the purpose of Opus Dei unfiltered, during the dialogue held this September 22nd at Villanueva University with María José Atienza, director of Omnes.

The book, published by Almuzara, brings together the stories of 18 people linked to Opus Dei and aims, according to its author, to answer some of the questions that are usually raised about the institution "from below", through the lives of its members.

Valero, spokesperson for Opus Dei in the UK, explained that after 33 years of answering questions about power, money, influence, and the role of women, he had perceived a limitation in always doing so "from a top-down perspective." That's why he decided to share the concrete experiences of very different people. The book features a taxi driver, a businessman, people who have traveled their entire lives, and others who have always stayed in the same place. "There's a bit of everything, a cross-section of what's out there," he noted.

What does Opus Dei seek?

Valero responded to this question by saying that his aim is "to help people find God in their ordinary, everyday lives." He explained that it's about helping each person discover that God is present in what they do and "to be a better person in everything you do." He added that this task is carried out with the understanding that people are imperfect and make mistakes.

One of the issues he emphasized most was freedom. Valero believes it is one of the aspects most difficult for those outside the institution to understand. In his experience, members intuitively grasp the possibility of making decisions about their lives: studying one degree or another, living in one place or another, participating in a demonstration or not, supporting one political party or another, or following certain priestly directives. "They understand it and live it accordingly," he stated.

Regarding the testimonies of former members who claim to have experienced a lack of freedom or pressure, Valero acknowledged that these experiences must be examined. "That's not good, but we're going to see where it comes from and what happened," he stated. In his opinion, those who joined did so seeking something good, although some later discovered that this vocation wasn't for them and left the institution.

He also stressed the need to listen to those who have suffered and "change the things that need changing." "If we try to do good and don't listen to those on the inside, we're doing something wrong," he added.

Auxiliary Numeraries: "I want them to explain what they are."«

Valero wanted to focus particularly on the auxiliary numeraries. He didn't want to explain their vocation himself, but rather preferred that they themselves bear witness to it. That's why he decided to include the stories of Patricia and Nuala in his book. "I want them to explain what they are, how they do it, and why they do it," he stated, even placing their testimonies at the beginning and end of the work. For him, these testimonies have allowed him to understand this reality "from the ground up.".

She also acknowledged that there have been situations that "weren't handled well" and that these must be rectified, with apologies offered when necessary. However, she also insisted that these specific cases should not diminish or obscure the vocation of the auxiliary numeraries: "Because, while 43 people in Argentina felt they were mistreated, there are also 500 others who wrote a letter asking for respect for their vocation, for understanding of what they do and why they do it.".

Listen to those who have suffered

Regarding those who have suffered within Opus Dei or who have felt displaced after leaving, Valero emphasized the importance of listening. He recounted that during his 33 years as director in England, he was particularly attentive to ensuring that those who felt Opus Dei was not their vocation could leave "happy" and grateful for their time there. He acknowledged, however, that his experience is "just a small sample" and that there may be different cases elsewhere.

She also mentioned the listening offices and other mechanisms put in place to address these situations. "Many things have changed; we have listened for many years," she affirmed, although she added that it is necessary "to continue listening.".

Power and money in Opus Dei?

Regarding the accusations that the Opus Dei Valero, who is seeking political power or influence within the Church, denied the existence of a plan for conquest: "Opus Dei has no plan to improve the world, but it does have a plan to help people and inspire them to change the world." The institution, he explained, does not tell its members what to do, but rather encourages them to take their Christian vocation seriously and act freely in the world.

Therefore, he believes that attributing to the institution a coordination of political plans stems from a difficulty in accepting the freedom of its members. "If there is no plan, power is irrelevant," he stated. According to Valero, the people who appear in his book do not describe the institution in terms of power, but rather as a family, a means of training, and a place of support. He says that the word "power" is not even mentioned in the book.

He also explained that each member has their own independent finances. Three-quarters of the members are supernumeraries and support their own families, while the numeraries contribute to the institution what they don't need for their own expenses. Valero noted that the works promoted by members—universities, Schools, residences or social initiatives—can handle significant amounts of money, but he rejected the idea of the institution accumulating that money for itself.

«"I like people to see themselves as they are: imperfect."»

Another element Valero highlighted in the book is precisely the imperfection of its protagonists. "I like that everyone is seen as they are, imperfect, because that's reality," she stated. In contrast to an idealized image of the institution's members, the 18 stories portray diverse individuals with difficulties, flaws, and varied experiences.

As she explained, all 18 people's answers to the question of what it means to them are different, yet compatible. Among the aspects that most caught her attention was their trust in God. She cited the testimony of a woman from the Netherlands who discovered that she didn't have to ask God to come and help her because "God was always there.".

For Valero, one of the pending tasks is learning to communicate this experience better. Catholics, he affirmed, «have a lot to say,» but sometimes they lack the confidence to express it. «It’s not about telling them what to say, but helping them say it better,» he explained. In his opinion, speaking about one’s faith from personal experience can help avoid both imposing one’s beliefs and creating a sense of superiority.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Opus Dei?

Opus Dei —Work of God, in Latin— is a hierarchical institution of the Catholic Church, a personal prelature, whose purpose is to contribute to the evangelizing mission of the Church.

Specifically, it aims to foster a profound awareness of the universal call to holiness and the sanctifying value of ordinary work. The institution was founded by Saint Josemaría Escrivá on October 2, 1928.

What is the institution's core mission and objectives?

Opus Dei aims to help people living in the world—the ordinary man, the man on the street—to lead a fully Christian life, without changing their normal way of life, their ordinary work, or their hopes and aspirations.

Therefore, in a phrase I wrote many years ago, one can say that Opus Dei is as old as the Gospel and as new as the Gospel itself. It is a reminder to Christians of the wonderful words found in Genesis: that God created man to work. We have looked to the example of Christ, who spent almost his entire earthly life working as a craftsman in a village. Work is not only one of the highest human values and a means by which people should contribute to the progress of society; it is also a path to holiness.

If one wishes to draw a comparison, the easiest way to understand the institution is to consider the lives of the first Christians. They lived their Christian vocation to the fullest; they earnestly sought the perfection to which they were called by the simple yet sublime act of Baptism.

They were indistinguishable from other citizens. The faithful are ordinary people; they hold ordinary jobs; they live in the world as what they are: Christian citizens who want to fully respond to the demands of their faith.

Who was Álvaro del Portillo and why is he going to be beatified?

Monsignor Álvaro del Portillo y Diez de Sollano (Madrid, 1914 – Rome, 1994). A civil engineer with doctorates in philosophy and canon law, he joined the institution in 1935. Ordained a priest on June 25, 1944, he collaborated closely with Saint Josemaría until his death in 1975. He also carried out numerous assignments for the Holy See, most notably his active participation in the work of the Second Vatican Council.

After the death of Saint Josemaría, he was elected to succeed him in governing the institution. He was ordained a bishop in 1991. His canonization process began in March 2004. Pope Benedict XVI declared him Venerable in 2012, and Pope Francis signed the Decree of the Miracle attributed to his intercession in 2013.

How do you see the future of Opus Dei?

Thirty-nine years is just the beginning for an institution. Our task is to collaborate with all other Christians in the great mission of bearing witness to the Gospel of Christ; it is to remember that this good news can bring life to any human situation. The work that awaits us is immense.

It is a boundless sea, because as long as there are people on earth, however much the technical methods of production change, they will have work they can offer to God, work they can sanctify. With God's grace, the Work wants to teach them to make that work a service to all people of every condition, race, and religion. By serving others in this way, they will be serving God.

Does it not have an economic or political orientation?

Each member has complete freedom to think and act as they see fit in this area. In all temporal matters, the faithful of Opus Dei are entirely free: the institution welcomes people of all political, cultural, social, and economic persuasions that Christian conscience can accept.

I never speak about politics. My mission as a priest is exclusively spiritual. Furthermore, even if I were to express an opinion on temporal matters, the members of Opus Dei would have no obligation to follow it.

The CARF Foundation's charity market celebrates its 30th anniversary

The CARF Foundation's charity market is celebrating its 30th anniversary. For the past 30 years, the volunteers who are part of the Social Action Board (PAS) have had one main mission: to collaborate and contribute to raising funds to finance the training of seminarians and diocesan priests, as well as religious men and women from around the world, especially from countries with fewer economic resources.

This year's edition changes its traditional location from the parish halls of San Luis de Los Franceses, and will not be at Padilla 9, as they are under construction.

Justin Joseph: a young Indian seminarian of the Syro-Malabar rite

Justin Joseph is one of the young seminarians whose formation is supported by the benefactors, partners, and friends of the CARF Foundation. He belongs to the Syro-Malabar Diocese of Idukki in Kerala, India. This diocese was established in 2003 to respond to the spiritual needs of the faithful in this mountainous region of Kerala. Most of the region's inhabitants are farmers whose faith is intertwined with their daily work.

He was born in Adimaly in 1998 and is currently in his third year of a Bachelor of Theology degree at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome, thanks to the study grants financed by the CARF Foundation. 

I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to be in Rome because I believe this experience is helping me grow both personally and spiritually and is preparing me more thoroughly for my future priestly ministry.

Their story represents seminarians from various countries who receive support from the CARF Foundation to train and later serve their home communities. They also benefit from initiatives such as the Solidarity Market in Madrid and the one in Zaragoza, held in March.

A charity market with handmade Christmas sweets for this edition

To celebrate the market's 30th anniversary, the PAS volunteers have prepared something new: handmade Christmas sweets made by a volunteer who is a master pastry chef. Visitors will be able to buy marzipan, nougat, shortbread, and chocolate.

Less than a month remains until the grand anniversary of one of Madrid's oldest and most traditional markets. The Board of Trustees continues to accept donations of items in good condition to maintain the market's quality. Among other items, they are accepting tableware, cutlery, glassware, small furniture, tablecloths, and paintings.

Thirty years after its beginnings, the volunteers are preparing a new edition with the same purpose: to raise funds that contribute to the training of those preparing to serve the Church throughout the world.

The Social Action Board was founded in 1989

The initiative to create the Social Action Foundation arose in 1989 thanks to the drive of several women. Its objective was to promote activities that would involve more people in praying for vocations to seminarians and diocesan priests, as well as to raise funds for those who lack the resources to cover their studies.

«"It started very small and has grown over the years. The first sales were made in a private home, then in a premises lent to us by a hair salon, whose owner was a great collaborator, and finally we moved into a rented premises," recalls Rosana Diez-Canseco, co-president of PAS.

Over time, both the donated items and the number of collaborators and buyers have increased. "In recent years we've collected so many products that I sincerely believe it's one of the largest flea markets held in Madrid," explains Rosana. 

The work of the Board of Trustees has also been linked to helping the families of seminarians and priests. Currently, the third generation of volunteers is led by Carmen Ortega and Rosana Diez-Canseco, co-presidents of the PAS. 

Throughout the year they organize various activities to contribute to the financing of seminarian training and the purchase of backpacks of sacred vessels for those who, after studying in Rome or Pamplona, return to their countries to be ordained priests.

Among the volunteers' memories, the gratitude of a Filipino priest stands out. He wrote to them to tell them that the backpack was essential for his ministry: he celebrated Holy Mass every day on a different island, in small chapels that barely had any resources.

Some practical information

Helping to train priests

The funds raised through the charity markets contribute to the CARF Foundation's mission to support the formation of priests and seminarians, especially those from dioceses with fewer resources.

Mochila de vasos sagrados

The work of the Board of Trustees for Social Action also includes initiatives such as the Backpacks of Sacred Vessels, which are given to seminarians at the end of their training so that, once ordained priests and back in their dioceses, they can celebrate Holy Mass and administer the sacraments with the necessary liturgical objects.

Thus, the solidarity of many people ends up having a substantial impact on the lives of priests who will carry out their ministry in different parts of the world.

What is the Board of Trustees for Social Action of the CARF Foundation?

The Social Action Board (PAS) It brings together and coordinates the work of numerous volunteers who collaborate with the CARF Foundation to support its mission in service to the Church and diocesan priests.

Through various solidarity initiatives, the Board of Trustees seeks to address the specific needs of priests and seminarians, especially in areas with fewer resources. charity markets They are one of these initiatives: thanks to donations from individuals, the work of volunteers and the collaboration of those who participate in them, resources can be obtained for different aid projects.

But the work of the Social Action Board goes far beyond the markets.

What are the funds from the Social Action Board used for?

Among the different actions promoted by the PAS are:

In this way, the work of the volunteers and collaborators of the Social Action Board is transformed into concrete help for priests and communities in different parts of the world.

Every market stall, every donation, and every act of collaboration is part of the same chain of solidarity: to help priests to develop their mission and serve the people of their dioceses. Because behind every object there is a story. And behind every purchase, an opportunity to help.

Another solidarity initiative in Zaragoza

Of the February 28 to March 5, 2026, the premises of the parish's social services Santa Engracia, in Zaragoza, They hosted a new Charity Market organized by the CARF Foundation. An initiative promoted with the collaboration of volunteers from Social Action Board to support the Foundation's mission: to contribute to comprehensive formation of priests and seminarians from all over the world.

During those days, visitors to the flea market found a variety of donated items: dishes, books, paintings, clothing, bags, toys, coffee sets, small furniture, decorative objects, and jewelry, among other things. Each donation gave new life to objects that were no longer used, transforming them into an opportunity to help others.

The Zaragoza Charity Market is also a testament to the commitment of those who collaborate with the CARF Foundation's Social Action Board. Volunteering makes these initiatives possible and ensures that... donations received can be transformed into resources for the training of priests and seminarians.

As the Patronato explains, behind each item there is much more than just a sale. There are people who donate what they no longer need, volunteers who dedicate their time to preparing and running the market, and people who decide to support the cause by purchasing some of the items.

In this way, a set of dishes, a book, a bag or a decorative object can end up becoming an aid for a seminarian to receive the training he needs.

Pope Leo XIV and the Virgin Mary

More than one Mariologist – people who know and study all the Church's doctrine on the Virgin Mary- has already expressed her joy, for the devotion to the Mother of God that she has shown Leo XIV in the brief time of his pontificate.

References to this are common in Wednesday catechetical discourses, in homilies at Eucharistic celebrations, and in the Angelus, such as those included here: "Brothers and sisters, let us ask together..." Maria, Queen of Martyrs, help us to be, in every circumstance, faithful and courageous witnesses of your Son, and to support our brothers and sisters who suffer for the faith today.» (Angelus, August 17, 2025). And he frequently encourages the faithful to ask for Mary’s intercession for peace, serenity in difficult situations, etc.

Pope Leo XIV's devotion to the Virgin Mary

The reference to Maria What has attracted the most attention so far are the words he spoke on June 9th in the homily for the celebration of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church: «John, the only one of the twelve present at Calvary, saw and testified that, at the foot of the cross, along with other women, was the mother of Jesus (Jn 19, 25). And he heard with his own ears the last words of the Master, among which, these: "Woman, here is your son," and then, addressing him: "Here is your mother.".

The new Eve

«"Mary's motherhood through the mystery of the cross took an unthinkable leap. The Mother of Jesus became the new Eve, because the Son associated her with his redemptive death, the source of new and eternal life for every human being who comes into this world.".

Words that have moved Mark Miravalle, a professor of Theology from Franciscan University of Steubenville, USA, to write this commentary after considering other details of Pope Leo XIV's relationship with the Virgin Mary.

«Then there is the homily of June 9, perhaps the clearest reference to Our Lady’s co-redemption in the last twenty years: when he says that Mary’s motherhood took an unimaginable leap to the cross, where she becomes the new Eve and that Jesus associated her with his redemptive death. That is classic co-redemption; and that is what the title Co-Redemptrix means: that Mary participates in a unique way with Jesus, the new Eve with the new Adam, in the redemption of humanity. The fact that the Pope is taking the new Eve to Calvary has great theological weight.»National Catholic Register, August 7).

Leo XIII officially confirmed the title of Co-redemptrix To the Virgin Mary, Mother of God. We do not know if Leo XIV will reaffirm this, after it has been sidelined in certain theological circles in recent years without any serious reason. And if Christ associated her with his redemptive death, who are we to question the actions of Jesus?

The Virgin Mary in Sacred Scripture

While writing these pages, an article published in Religion in Freedom on August 13th fell into my hands, conveying the reasons of a convert that moved him to enter the Church Catholic, and to cease being an evangelical Protestant. His ninth personal reason refers directly to what he calls: The rich biblical typology of the Church. Biblical typology that he employed Papa by calling Mary the "new Eve".

«"This method of reading the Scriptures, which The way the New Testament is foreshadowed in the Old Testament has helped me understand the Bible in very profound ways. It is the method that Jesus, in Luke 24:27, and the Apostle Paul, in Romans 5:12-14, and other apostles used to explain the Scriptures, and it is the method that the Catholic Church uses in its teaching.

This helped me see the scriptural basis of the Church's teaching on Mary, which was my biggest obstacle to entering the Church. Once I understood that she was the New Eve, the New Ark of the Covenant, the new Queen Mother, it became clear that the Church had good reasons to venerate the Blessed Virgin.

Mary leads us to Jesus Christ

Assumed into Heaven, the Mother of God continues to care for the Church of her Son, stirring the hearts and minds of the Pope and all Catholics, so that we may welcome with open arms and hearts all those who discover that She is the ever-open door to enter the one Church founded by Her Son.

«Sweetest Heart of Mary, give strength and security to our journey on earth: be yourself our way, for you know the path and the sure shortcut that lead, through your love, to the love of Jesus Christ» (Saint Josemaría Escrivá).

Ernesto Juliá, (ernesto.julia@gmail.com) | Previously published in Religion Confidential.

Leo XIV: Mary, model of faith and charity

Leo XIV's teaching on the Virgin Mary continued to develop in his catecheses of 2026. In the general audience of May 13, dedicated to the Virgin Mary as a model for the Church, the Pope recalled that Mary is an example of faith and charity for the entire Christian community.

«Dear brothers and sisters, good morning and welcome!

The Second Vatican Council wanted to dedicate the last chapter of the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church to the Virgin Mary (cf. Lumen gentium, 52-69). She is «proclaimed as a most excellent and entirely singular member of the Church and as the perfect type and exemplar of the Church in faith and charity» (n. 53). These words invite us to understand how in Mary, who under the action of the Holy Spirit welcomed and gave birth to the Son of God made flesh, we can recognize both the model, the excellent member, and the mother of the entire ecclesial community.

By allowing herself to be molded by the work of Grace, which came to be fulfilled in her, and by accepting the gift of the Most High with her faith and virginal love, Mary is the perfect model of what the whole Church is called to be: creature of the Word of the Lord and mother of the children of God, generated in docility to the action of the Holy Spirit.

Furthermore, as the quintessential believer, offering us the perfect example of unconditional openness to the divine mystery within the communion of God's holy people, Mary is an excellent member of the ecclesial community. Finally, as she gives birth to children in the Son, beloved in the eternal Beloved who came among us, Mary is the mother of the entire Church, to whom the Church can turn with filial trust, certain of being heard, protected, and loved.

The sum of these characteristics of the Virgin Mary could be expressed by speaking of her as the iconic woman of the Mystery. The term "woman" highlights the historical concreteness of this young daughter of Israel, to whom the extraordinary experience of becoming the mother of the Messiah.

The term "icon" emphasizes that in her the twofold movement of descent and ascent is fulfilled: in her shine forth both God's gratuitous choice and the free consent of faith in him. Mary is therefore the iconic woman of the Mystery, that is, of the divine plan of salvation, hidden in an age and fully revealed in her Jesus Christ.

Predestined from eternity

The Council has left us a clear teaching on the place reserved for the Virgin Mary in the work of Redemption (cf. Lumen Gentium, 60-62). It has reminded us that the only Mediator of salvation is Jesus Christ (cf. 1 Tim 2:5-6) and that his Blessed Mother «in no way obscures or diminishes this unique mediation of Christ, but rather serves to demonstrate its power» (LG, 60).

At the same time, «the Blessed Virgin, predestined from all eternity as the Mother of God together with the Incarnation of the Word, […] cooperated in an entirely unique way in the work of the Savior with obedience, faith, hope and ardent charity in order to restore the supernatural life of souls. For this reason she is our mother in the order of grace» (ibid., 61).

The mystery of the Church is also reflected in the Virgin Mary: in her, the people of God find their origin, their model, and their homeland. In the Mother of the Lord, the Church contemplates its own mystery, not only because it finds again the model of virginal faith, maternal charity, and the spousal covenant to which it is called, but also and above all because it recognizes in her its own archetype, the ideal figure of what it is called to be.

As can be seen, the reflections on the Virgin Mary collected in the Lumen gentium, They teach us to love the Church and to serve in it in the fulfillment of the Kingdom of God that is to come and that will be fully realized in glory.

Let us then allow ourselves to be challenged by such a sublime model as Mary, Virgin and Mother, and let us ask her to help us through her intercession to respond to all that is asked of us through her example: Do I live my belonging to the Church with humble and active faith? Do I recognize the covenant community that God has given me to respond to his infinite love? Do I look to Mary as a model, an excellent member and mother of the Church, and do I ask her to help me be a faithful disciple of her Son?

Brothers and sisters, may the Holy Spirit, who descended upon Mary and whom we invoke with humility and trust, grant us to live these wonderful realities fully. And, having delved into the Constitution Lumen gentium, Let us ask the Virgin to grant us this gift: that love for Holy Mother Church may grow in all of us. Amen!»

Source: General Audience of Leo XIV, May 13, 2026: "The Virgin Mary, model of the Church"«.

How much does the formation of a seminarian cost?

Article updated in September 2026 with the most recent data available: the CARF Foundation Annual Report 2025 and the Pontifical Yearbook 2026, published by the Holy See in March 2026.

Having a well-trained priest comes at a high cost to the diocese. Upon entering the seminary, any aspiring priest has five years of ecclesiastical studies ahead of him, equivalent to a bachelor's degree and a specialization. This is followed by at least two years or more of doctoral studies, including the completion of a research thesis.

The cost involved in the formation of seminarians and diocesan priests should be a collective effort of all Christians. Dioceses, foundations, faithful and even the brotherhoods and confraternities collaborate ingeniously so that we sow the world with priestly vocations.

The CARF Foundation and the challenge of seminarian formation

Since its foundation in 1989, the CARF Foundation has acted as a link between thousands of benefactors willing to contribute financially with study grants and scholarships so that priests and seminarians from all over the world can receive a solid theological, human and spiritual preparation.

More than 1,500 bishops and superiors general of religious orders from 130 countries wish for some of their priests and seminarians to study at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome or at the Faculties of Ecclesiastical Studies of the University of Navarra in Pamplona. They would also complete their human and spiritual formation at the Sapientiae International Ecclesiastical Colleges (Rome) and Bidasoa (Pamplona). To make this possible, training also apply for study grants for their candidates.

Thanks to benefactors and donors like you, the CARF Foundation meets most of the requests, but the needs are growing and we want all requests to be met.

Donate now to form diocesan seminarians from all over the world.

Seminaristas en el Seminario de Bidasoa

How much does a full formation grant for a seminarian cost?

18,000 euros is the amount necessary for a candidate to live, study and train for a year at the universities of Rome or Pamplona. The neediest dioceses in the world request a full scholarship for their candidates. In all cases, the diocese covers a small part of the cost of training a seminarian in his country of origin, as a sign of its commitment to maximize the future use of the aid.

Each academic year, the CARF Foundation provides direct and indirect scholarships to approximately 400 seminarians, 1,120 diocesan priests, and about 80 members of religious institutions. Each full scholarship awarded by the foundation is broken down as follows: €11,000 for room and board; €9,000 for university tuition and comprehensive formation, including academic, personal, and spiritual support. Personal expenses are always the responsibility of the student or the diocese.

How much has the number of seminarians in the world grown?

The Central Office of Church Statistics has been in charge of the edition of the Pontifical Yearbook 2026 and the Annuarium Statisticum Ecclesiae 2024 published in recent days.

The data collected as of December 31, 2024, compared with 2023, provides an overview of the numerical reality of the Catholic Church in different countries and continents, allowing us to extract some new information related to the life of the Church in the world today.

The presence of Catholics does not change at the level of the entire planet, but it does if we analyze the number of Catholics in the different continents. There is a maximum increase on the African continent and a relative increase in Asia. On the other hand, in Europe there has been a continuous decline in recent years. America and Oceania remain stable in relation to the world total.

The data analyzed on priests in all ecclesiastical districts of the Catholic world, both diocesan and religious, reveal a decline in the number of priests. At the close of 2020 there were 410,219 priests in the world, 4,117 fewer priests than the previous year. Only in Africa and Asia were there significant increases in the number of priests, which together contributed a total of + 1,782 priests to the world during the biennium under analysis.

We can observe a clear imbalance between the number of Catholics and priests in the world, which translates into a very high overall pastoral burden.

Formación de seminaristas

Regarding seminarians

The number of seminarians worldwide decreased from 106,495 in 2023 to 103,604 in 2024. This trend in the number of seminarians worldwide, observed between 2019 and 2020, affected all continents except Africa, where the number of seminarians increased by 2.25%, from 34,924 to 35,710.

The declines in priestly vocations are significant, especially in Asia (-8.98 %), although they can also be seen in Europe (-5.48 %), Oceania (-1.67 %) and America (-0.83 %).

The percentage distribution of seminarians by continent shows slight changes over the two-year period. Africa and Asia accounted for 61.3% in 2023 and 61.2% in 2024. Oceania shows a slight downward adjustment. The Americas and Europe as a whole saw their share decrease. The Americas and Europe represented 37.7% in 2023 and 37.9% in 2024.

The birth of priestly vocations in Africa and Asia is a constant fact recorded in recent years. These future priests will support and strengthen the European and American Churches. This data helps us to get a real idea of the responsibility we have as Catholics to take care of each new vocation with the utmost care. Supporting the dioceses in the formation of seminarians, even more so in the most disadvantaged continents.

Memoria Fundación CARF

Bibliography:

Interreligious dialogue in a culture of encounter

Sixty years after the promulgation of the historic conciliar declaration on the Church's relations with non-Christian religions, the Holy See offers a document of theological and pedagogical depth, which reviews the legacy of "Nostra aetate", assesses the challenges of the present and charts the future coordinates of interreligious dialogue.

The spark of a silent revolution

On October 28, 1965, amidst the fervor of the Second Vatican Council, the Catholic Church made public the Declaration Nostra aetate «"On the relations of the Church with non-Christian religions." That brief but extremely bold text marked an irreversible shift by stating that the Church "rejects nothing that is true and holy in these religions" (NA 2).

Sixty years later, the Dicasteries for the Doctrine of the Faith, for Promoting Christian Unity, and for Interreligious Dialogue have jointly published the commemorative note "A Path of Hope." The document, approved by the Pope Leo XIV Following his audience with the prefects and secretaries of the three dicasteries, he presents himself not as a bureaucratic assessment, but as a living and urgent manifesto for a planet threatened by polarization, identity retreat and the aftermath of war.

Jewish roots and the essential memory of the Holocaust

The Note recalls with journalistic and historiographical precision that Nostra aetate It was not born as an academic exercise, but as a direct response to the atrocious consequences of antisemitism and the Holocaust. The document recounts how Saint John XXIII, impacted by his providential encounter with the Jewish historian Jules Isaac and thanks to the mediation of Maria Vingiani, commissioned Cardinal Augustin Bea to write a text intended to heal relations between the Church and the Jewish people.

In its theological development, the Note emphasizes that Jesus was Jewish and never stopped being so.. Citing 20th-century theology, he affirms that in the Incarnation the Word became "Jewish flesh." Therefore, Jewish-Christian dialogue is not a diplomatic option or a secondary practice, but an intrinsic element for the Church to understand its own identity, and an essential component of its mission. 

God's covenant with the Jewish people is irrevocable(cf. Rom 11:29). At the same time, the text maintains the confession of Christ as the only Redeemer. It clarifies that, therefore, this does not imply supporting two parallel paths to salvation, but rather recognizing that Jewish religiosity as lived today remains an active value that enriches Christians. «What Jesus contributed to Christianity as a Jewish heritage forms part of the theological structure of Christianity itself» (A path of hope, 11).

The document also renews its condemnation of antisemitism and points to the memory of the Holocaust as a permanent warning against the danger of racial and religious hatred.

Mr. Ramiro Pellitero Iglesias, professor emeritus of Pastoral Theology at the School of Theology at the University of Navarra.

Published in Church and new evangelization.

Dialogue as a path to friendship and peace

The recent teachings of Pope Leo XIV invite us to delve deeper into this culture of encounter. In his meeting with representatives of different religious traditions, held in Metz on September 28, 2016, he reminded us that dialogue does not mean renouncing one's own identity, but rather living it with openness and respect for those who are different.

For the Pope, interreligious dialogue has a specific purpose: to foster friendship, peace, and the recognition of the dignity of every person. In a world marked by conflict and division, the various religious traditions are called to contribute together to a culture that rejects any use of faith to justify violence.

This perspective directly links to the spirit of Nostra aetate and with the recent Note A path of hope, which encourages us to continue building bridges of knowledge, respect and collaboration among believers.

The spirit of Nostra aetate It continues to illuminate the path of the Church. The Church recognizes that all religions can reflect "a glimmer of that Truth which enlightens all men" (n. 2) and seek answers to the great mysteries of human existence, so dialogue must be not only intellectual, but profoundly spiritual.

The Declaration invites all Catholics—bishops, clergy, consecrated persons and lay faithful—to participate sincerely in dialogue and collaboration with the followers of other religions, recognizing and promoting all that is good, true and holy in their traditions (cf. ibid.This is necessary today in practically every city in the world where, due to human mobility, our spiritual and cultural diversities are called to meet and live together fraternally.

Nostra aetate It reminds us that true dialogue is rooted in love, the only foundation of peace, justice and reconciliation, while firmly rejecting all forms of discrimination or persecution, affirming the equal dignity of every human being (cf. NA, 5).

Jesus and the Samaritan woman: dialogue begins with listening

The Gospel offers a particularly significant image for understanding the dialogue between people of different religious traditions: the encounter of Jesus with the Samaritan woman.

In his catechesis on Nostra aetate, Leo XIV presented this episode as an example of dialogue based on openness, sincere listening, and recognition of the other. Jesus transcends cultural and religious barriers to encounter a specific person.

From this perspective, interreligious dialogue is not just about finding common ground. It also involves learning to listen, getting to know the other, and recognizing what unites us without hiding our differences.

Sixty years later Nostra aetate, This attitude remains an invitation to build relationships based on respect, friendship, and the shared search for truth.