Pope Leo XIV: Welcome Holy Father

To their 69 years oldRobert Francis Prevost, chose the name Leo XIV. Pope Leo XIV, and still the current prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, is the first American and the first Augustinian to become Supreme Pontiff in the history of the institution.

Biography of Pope Leo XIV

Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost on September 14, 1955 in Chicago (Illinois, USA), is the 267th pontiff of the Catholic Church. A member of the Order of St. Augustine (O.S.A.), he entered the novitiate in 1977 and made his solemn vows in 1981. He studied theology at the Catholic Theological Union from Chicago and later specialized in canon law at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome.

In 1985, he was sent as a missionary to Peru, where he served in various pastoral and academic roles. He has been the bishop of Chiclayo since 2015 and in 2023, the Pope Francis appointed him prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. That same year, he was created a cardinal with the diaconia of St. Monica.

On May 8, 2025, he was elected Pope, adopting the name Leo XIV. His election marks a milestone as the first American and Augustinian pontiff in the history of the Church. His career stands out for his commitment to missionary ministry, academic formation and ecclesiastical administration both in Latin America and at the Vatican.

You can read his complete biography on the official Opus Dei website: Biography of Pope Leo XIV.

May 8, 2025, appointment by Pope Leo XIV

At 7:13 p.m. on May 8, 2025, 65 minutes after the white smoke, thousands of faithful and pilgrims saw the curtains of the central balcony of the Vatican Basilica open. The Cardinal Protodeacon, Dominique Mamberti, appeared before the crowd and in a solemn voice pronounced the historic words: "Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum: Habemus Papam..."followed by the name of the new Pontiff: Cardinal Prevost, who has taken the name Leo XIV.

The square erupted in jubilation. Hundreds of bells rang throughout Rome as flags waved and many faithful embraced excitedly. Amid shouts of "Long live the Pope!" and the singing of the You are Petrusthe new successor of Peter appeared before the world for the first time. Dressed in white and with a serene gesture, he greeted the crowd with an apostolic blessing, thanking his brother cardinals for their confidence and asking for prayers for his mission.

Thus begins a new stage for the Catholic Church, marked by hope and expectation. In the next few hours Pope Leo XIV will address the faithful once again and will formally begin his pontificate with an inaugural Mass in the coming days.

Robert Francis Prevost, during a homily.

Message from the Prelate of Opus Dei, Msgr. Fernando Ocáriz

On May 8, 2025, Bishop Fernando Ocáriz, Prelate of Opus Dei, issued a message on the occasion of the election of Pope Leo XIV. He expressed his joy and gratitude for the appointment of the new Vicar of Christ, urging the community to unite in prayer for him and for the mission he undertakes at the head of the Church.

In his message, Bishop Ocáriz stressed the importance of unity of hearts and prayers at times like this, underscoring the faith of the Church that shines with particular splendor. He recalled the words of St. Josemaría Escrivá in ForgeThe Pope, who is considered the cornerstone of the Church, is exhorted to love, venerate, pray and mortify oneself for the Roman Pontiff.

The prelate emphasized that Pope Leo XIV, as successor of PeterHe encouraged the faithful to renew their commitment to prayer and support the Holy Father, recognizing the responsibility and service involved in his new ministry. He encouraged the faithful to renew their commitment to pray for and support the Holy Father, recognizing the responsibility and service that his new ministry entails..

Finally, Bishop Ocáriz invited everyone to live this event with faith and hope, seeing in the election of the new Pope an opportunity to strengthen ecclesial communion and the commitment to the Church's evangelizing mission.

You can read the full message on the official website of Opus Dei: Prelate's message on the occasion of the election of Pope Leo XIV.

The priest, psychology of a vocation

A book that raises many questions about happiness and the vocation of the priest: Is the figure of the Catholic priest still attractive? Can a person who renounces marriage be happy? When to advise against the priesthood or other specific paths of dedication? Christian? These and other questions find useful answers, sprinkled with real life and pastoral experience.

The book shows the inner world of the one who responds to God's call

The author of Psychological and spiritual maturity addresses the luminous panorama of the Christian vocation, beginning with the priesthood. The identity and mission of the priest, as of other vocations within the Church, are understood in the light of Jesus Christ, who came to earth to serve and not to be served.

The priest - the book explains - must see the sacred in others, confirming them in their value; and, at the same time, bring the divine, the sacred, to each person. This is the mission that characterizes him and from which comes his dignity and great responsibility before God, before each person and before society as a whole.

It introduces the psychological dynamics, its conflicts and challenges, its sources of peace and harmony. Being a priest implies giving light, comfort and hope.The Church, insofar as it strives to identify itself with Jesus Christ, God made man.

Many of the above ideas apply to other forms of vocation within the Church, especially if they assume the gift of celibacy.

"Life is attained and matures as it is given to give life to others."
Document of Aparecida, 2007, quoted in Francis, Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii gaudium, November 24, 2013, n. 10.

Jesus Christ is the common model for happiness

In the first chapter, the process of maturity is presented, underlining the freedom and the moments of crisis along the development. The notes of a mature personality are defined, in order to welcome and make fruitful the free gift of a divine call.

How to discern that call, with the types of vocationThe examination of the person's aptitudes and intention is the subject of the second chapter. It is also mentioned when it is necessary to have recourse to psychologists, following the guidelines of the Ratio for the formation of priests, of the Congregation for the Clergy: The Gift of the Priestly Vocation, 2016.

Sacerdote — Wencesleao Vial, cars of the book. Photo via Zenit.

Harmony of daily life

The third chapter is entitled Harmony of daily life. Here we distinguish between and explain the concepts of good loneliness and harmful loneliness. The psychological importance of prayer and the need for a healthy balance between activity and rest are discussed in depth. Healthy habits and hobbies form a special section, which shows in its development the unity of the three human dimensions: physical, psychic and spiritual.

A dimension of particular strength in the individual is the sexuality. The fourth chapter explains how it can be a source of joy or tormentdepending on whether it is integrated or not, whether it lives humanely or not.

The theme of human love, the understanding of which is the basis for understanding divine love and self-giving, is addressed. It touches on psychological and behavioral obstacles, in particular pornography and homosexual activity, which hinder a serene advancement in the vocation; and ends with some notes on spiritual paternity and the defense of a charism: the celibacy.

Priest burnout

The fifth chapter analyzes a frequent phenomenon among many service professions or professions on which others depend: burnout, with reference to pastoral practice. The forms of presentation, the persons at risk, and the how to deal with and prevent it. All with the intention of better understanding this picture, similar to depression, which makes many people suffer in different environments, including priests and people engaged in the apostolates of the Church.

The last chapter presents a series of attitudes for the prevention of psychic symptomatology. It deals with the mindfulness or focused awareness and its relationship with Christian meditation and the presence of God. Self-transcendence as an essential characteristic of the human being is related to the apostolic mission and pastoral challenges.

It ends with a reference to the Youth and strength of the spirit, capable of overcoming many difficulties and guiding us along paths of peace and joy. At the end there is a list of recommended books and useful websites.

Where to buy it and in which languages it can be obtained

The book The priest, psychology of a vocation is also published in Italian (The priest, the psychology of a vocationEdusc 2021) and in Portuguese (The Psychology of a VocationQuadrante 2021).

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The X in favor of the Church, a gesture that helps many

Marking the X, a decision that does not cost on the Renta, but does count

When you make your income tax returnYou have the option of marking the X (box 105) to allocate 0.7 % of your full tax liability to the financial support of the Catholic Church. This choice does not imply higher tax payments nor does it reduce the refund you may receive. In addition, it is compatible with box 106, intended for activities of social interest, allowing you to allocate an additional 0.7 % to social projects at no additional cost to you.

Updated data for the 2024 Income Tax Campaign

In the Renta 2024 campaign, corresponding to the 2023 tax year, 208,841 more declarations were registered in favor of the Catholic Church compared to the previous year. This represents a significant increase in taxpayer support.

The total amount allocated to the Church reached 382,437,998 euros, an increase of 23.6 million euros over the previous year. The average contribution per taxpayer who checked the box was 42.5 euros.

Where is the Church box on the tax return?

The box 105The "Tax Allocation to the Catholic Church", is located in the "Tax Allocation to the Catholic Church" section of the page 1 of the Model 100 on your income tax return. If you wish to contribute to the support of the Church, you must check this box. Remember that you can also simultaneously check box 106 to support activities of social interest.

Tax deductions for donations

In addition to the tax allowance, you can collaborate with the Church through donations, which are tax deductible according to Law 49/2002 on Patronage. For example, donations of up to 250 euros have a deduction of 80 %, which means that the Treasury will give you 200 euros back on your income tax return. This tax incentive makes it easier to support the work of the Church and its institutions.

What is the tax allocation?

It is the voluntary option to allocate a percentage of the full membership fee to collaborate with the economic support of the Catholic Church and/or other purposes of social interest.

Marking the X in the box for the Catholic Church in the income tax return does not mean that the taxpayer has to pay more or be refunded less and is fully compatible and independent of the allocation for other purposes of social interest. In both cases, 0.7 % of the total tax liability will be allocated to each option.

On the contrary, do not check any option. It will mean that 0.7 % of the total personal income tax liability will be imputed to the General State Budget for general purposes.

In any case, whatever your decision regarding the tax allocation, does not change the final amount of the tax you pay or the refund to which you are entitled. It does not affect your tax liability.You simply decide where you want a portion of your taxes to go.

marca la x de la iglesia web por tantos y ayuda — **Check the X on the web church for so many, and help.**

Tax deductions: will I pay more taxes?

Another to help the Church is by carrying out a recurring donation or punctual. Collaborating in this way with NGOs that support the work of the Catholic Church. These donations can be tax deductible in the tax return.

The tax deductibility of donations to NGOs is governed by the new Patronage Law 49/2002, which rewards private efforts in activities of general interest.

Tax benefits for donors

Thanks to the new Patronage Law, donations of up to 250 € will have an income tax deduction of 80 %. That is, by donating 20.83 €/month or 250 €/year, the Treasury will refund you 200 € in your income tax return.

For 20 € per month you can help us to our seminarians continue their formation and thus ensure that no vocation is lost.

The importance of checking the box for the Catholic Church on your income tax returns

Since 2007 the Church does not receive money from the General State Budget and renounces to the VAT exemption. That year the 1979 Agreement between Spain and the Holy See on economic matters was modified and the box 105 for the support of the Catholic Church was created.

The amount received from taxpayers who check the Catholic Church box on their income tax returns is distributed in solidarity from the Interdiocesan Common Fund.

This fund, which is made up of direct contributions from the faithful and taxpayers, is distributed among the different dioceses according to their size and needs. It accounts for an average of 25 % of the financing of the dioceses in Spain.

According to the latest available data, nearly 9 million people mark the "X" in favor of the Catholic Church in our country.

A gesture that the Church appreciates and encourages to continue doing so, in order to be able to continue with all the work it does for the benefit of society as a whole.

Photo by Fernando Santander at Unsplash.

How is the Church financed?

The Church in Spain relies on several sources of financing to sustain its activities. The main ones are:

Direct contributions that are made by the faithful (donationssubscriptions, tithes and others),
Collaboration of public administrations (pursuant to Article 16 of the Spanish Constitution),
Management of its own resourcess (equity, provision of services, etc.).

The transparency portal of the Church

The Church in an exercise of transparency, each year reports the amount of taxpayers' tax allocations received each yearand what has been the destination of this amount.

Once this amount is distributed, mainly to the dioceses, it becomes part of their diocesan economy. All this information is reflected each year in the Annual Report of activities of the EEC.

On the website of the Episcopal Conference, each year they report the amount received by checking the box for the Catholic Church on the income tax return.

It has as mission to bring the Church closer to society by promoting measures of transparency and good economic governance in the Episcopal Conference and its works, as well as in the rest of the entities that depend on it.

Destination of funds contributed by checking the church box on the Income Tax Return

The amount from the tax allocation is sent to the 70 dioceses in Spain.. The dioceses integrate it into their diocesan budget to undertake the activities proper to the Church.

More than half of the the expenses of all Spanish dioceses were pastoral and welfare expensesThe cost of the buildings, together with building maintenance and operating expenses.

The Episcopal Conference annually requests information from the dioceses on their consolidated financial accounts, including the parishes, in order to provide transparency to the process and obtain information on the origin of their resources and the applications that have been given each year.

With the action of marking the "X" in the church box on the income tax, we contribute resources for the Church to continue carrying out activities that benefit the whole of Spanish society.

That is why the Church thanks all those Spaniards who contribute with this gesture and with the rest of the campaigns carried out throughout the year to support the religious, spiritual and social work at the service of millions of Spaniards.

This contribution is decisive in sustaining the immense work of the Church, which, in order to continue helping, needs more than ever the collaboration of everyone.

For all these reasons CARF encourages you to check the box for the Catholic Church. in this year's income tax return.

Death of Pope Francis at the age of 88

Pope Francis has died. His death has been confirmed by the Press Office of the Holy SeeThe Pontiff died at 7:30 a.m. on April 21, 2025:

"Recently His Eminence, Cardinal Farrell, announced with sorrow the death of Pope Francis, with these words: 'Dear brothers and sisters, it is with deep sorrow that I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis.

At 7:35 this morning the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the Father's house. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and his Church.

He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage and universal love, especially in favor of the poorest and most marginalized.

With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the Triune God".

After months of treatment for what began as bronchitis in February, the Holy Father died at Casa Santa Marta, even though he had been discharged from the hospital. The Pontiff made several public appearances in recent days on the occasion of the Holy Week and Easter Sunday celebrations.

Over the next few days, anyone who wishes may come to the Vatican to bid farewell for the last time to the Argentine Pope, whose body will rest after the funeral in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore.

Source: Omnes.

Resurrection: see, hear and proclaim without fear

On Sunday, March 20, we celebrate Easter and begin to live the Easter Season, which begins with Easter Sunday and ends on Pentecost Sunday. After the Passion and Death of the Lord on the Cross, the glory arrives.

St. Josemaria explains in his homily Christ present in ChristiansThe Easter Season is a time of joy, a joy that is not limited to that time of the liturgical year, but is always present in the heart of the Christian. Because Christ lives: Christ is not a figure who passed away, who existed at one time and then went away, leaving us a wonderful memory and example".

The Holy Sepulcher, the center of Christian faith in the Risen Christ

The Holy Sepulcher, located in Jerusalem, is the place where, according to Christian tradition, Jesus Christ was buried and resurrected. This sacred site, venerated since the first centuries of Christianity, is considered the heart of the Christian faith, since it was there that Christ's victory over death was consummated.

For believers, the Holy Sepulcher is not only a pilgrimage destination, but also a symbol of hope and eternal life. Visiting it is a way of encountering the central mystery of Easter: the Resurrection, the foundation of Christian life. "Unless Christ is risen, our faith is in vain," adds St. Paul in the First Letter to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 15:14).

See, hear and announce without fear

First, see the Resurrection

They saw the stone rolled away and when they entered they did not find the body of the Lord. Their first reaction was fear, not looking up from the ground.

"Too often, we look at life and reality without lifting our eyes off the ground.We only focus on today, we feel disillusioned about the future and we shut ourselves up in our needs, we settle in the prison of apathy, while we continue lamenting and thinking that things will never change". Thus, he observed the Papa at the Easter Vigil held in 2022. That happens to us.

Secondly, to listen to the Risen One

Bearing in mind that the Lord "is not here". Perhaps we look for him "in our words, in our formulas and in our customs, but we forget to look for it in the darkest corners of life.where there is someone who cries, who struggles, suffers and hopes". We must raise our eyes and open ourselves to hope..

Let's hear it: "Why do you seek the living among the dead?"We must not look for God, Francis interprets, among dead things: in our lack of courage to allow ourselves to be forgiven by God, to change and put an end to the works of evil, to decide for Jesus and his love; in reducing faith to an amulet.

"Making of God a beautiful memory of times past, instead of discovering Him as the living God who today wants to transform us and the world"; in "a christiani swho seeks the Lord among the vestiges of the past and locks him in the tomb of custom", Francis points out.

Third, to announce the Resurrection

They announce the joy of the ResurrectionThe light of the Resurrection does not want to keep women in the ecstasy of a personal joy, it does not tolerate sedentary attitudes, but generates missionary disciples who 'return from the tomb' and bring the Gospel of the Risen One to all.

After having seen and heard, the women ran to announce the joy of the Resurrection to the disciples, even though they knew that they would be taken for fools. But they were not concerned about their reputation or defending their image; they did not measure their feelings or calculate their words.

They only had the fire in their hearts to bring the news, the announcement: "The Lord is risen!

pascua de resurrección jesus papa francisco vigilia — Pope Francis during the celebration of the Easter Vigil of Resurrection at the Vatican.

Pope Francis' Easter Message (2022)

We too, the successor of Peter points out, we are invited to run along the roads of the world, without fear or opportunism, to share the joy of having encountered the Lord.beyond certain formalities where we have often enclosed it, beyond comfort and well-being.

This is the Pope's Easter messageAt the end of a Lent that does not seem to want to end", between pandemics and wars.

"Let's take it to ordinary life: with gestures of peace in this time marked by the horrors of warwith works of reconciliation in broken relationships and compassion towards the needy; with actions of justice in the midst of inequalities and of truth in the midst of lies. And, above all, with works of love and fraternity".

Jesus brings us peace by carrying "our wounds". Ours because we have inflicted them on Him and because He bears them for us.

"The wounds on the Body of the Risen Jesus are the sign of the struggle that He has fought and conquered for us, with the weapons of love, so that we can have peace, be at peace, live in peace" (Blessing urbi et orbi, Resurrection Sunday, 17-IV-2022).

With the victory of Christ and with his peace, Francis will say on Easter Monday, we will be able to "come out of the tombs of our fears" (the fear of death, of fading away, of losing our loved ones, of falling ill, of not being able to go on...) (Regina Caeli, 18-IV-2022).

Also we, like the disciples on Easter morning, have every day sufficient reasons to believeJesus says to you, "I have tasted death for you, I have borne your evil. Now I have risen to tell you: I am here, with you, forever. Do not be afraid! Do not be afraid" (Ibid.).

Interesting content for living Easter

The Resurrection of the Lord: passage from the Gospel of John.
Homily of St. JosemaríaChrist present in Christians.
Easter Sunday GospelJesus lives!
Meditations: Resurrection Sunday (audio and texts)
EasterI am risen and I am still with you. Explanation of the liturgy of the Easter season.

Ramiro Pellitero IglesiasProfessor of Pastoral Theology at the Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarra.

Good Friday: the meaning of the Cross

The Good Friday is a day of sorrow, silence, contemplation and profound reverence. It is the day in which the Church commemorates the Passion and the death of the Lordan event that forever transformed the history of mankind.

For Christians, this day is not only a day of remembrance, but a living invitation to look at the holy cross with the eyes of faith, as it did St. Josemaría Escrivádiscovering in it the greatness of God's love and the path to holiness. "When you see a poor wooden Cross, alone, despicable and worthless... and without a Crucifix, do not forget that this Cross is your Cross: the Cross of every day, the hidden Cross, dull and without consolation..., which is waiting for the Crucifix it lacks: and that Crucifix must be you" (The Way, 178).

The death of the Lord on the Cross: a mystery of Love

The death of the Lord on the Cross is not a senseless tragedy, but the supreme act of God's love for humanity. Jesus freely gives his life for each one of us, bearing on his shoulders the weight of the world's sin. His Passion is not only a historical fact, but a Mystery that is actualized in each of us. Eucharist and that deeply challenges the heart of each person.

For St. Josemaría EscriváThe Cross of Christ is the clearest expression of that divine love that does not stop in the face of suffering. He said: "The Cross is the school of love".

Contemplate the death of the Lord should not lead us to discouragement, but to hope. In that moment of sorrow, the way to eternal life opens for us. The silence of Calvary is not empty: it is full of meaning, of self-giving, of redemption.

St. Josemaría insisted that we Christians are called to unite our little sufferings to those of Christ. In this way, our own "deaths"-the renunciations, the sicknesses, the sacrifices for love-become fruitful as well. In the words of the founder of Opus Dei: "Every day you have to die a little, if you really want to live: die to selfishness, to comfort, to pride... That is the death that gives life."

The death of the LordIt is not the end: it is the beginning of a new existence, reconciled with God. It is the door that opens the Resurrection. And so, the Good FridayAlthough marked by solemnity, it also contains within it the light of victory.

The Cross as a path to holiness in pain and death

Saint Josemaría Escrivá offered a profound perspective on the meaning of the cross. For him, the Cross was not only a symbol of suffering, but a manifestation of God's redemptive love and a call to holiness in daily life. In his teachings, he emphasized that every Christian is called to embrace his or her own daily cross with love and dedication, seeing in it a path to union with Christ.

"The Cross ceased to be a symbol of punishment to become a sign of victory. The Cross is the emblem of the Redeemer: in quo est salus, vita et resurrectio nostraTherein lies our health, our life and our resurrection" (Via Crucis, II station). These words of St. Josemaría summarizes Christian hope: pain is not sterile if it is united to the sacrifice of Christ.

Living Good Friday every day of life embracing the Cross

The Good FridayTherefore, it not only recalls the sacrifice of Jesus, but also inspires Christians to live with hope and commitment.

Accepting daily crosses - big or small - with faith is an act of love and trust in God, and a concrete way of imitating Christ.

The death of the Lord as victory

The death of the Lord was not the end, but the beginning of a new life for all. This is how he understood it St. Josemaríawho taught to see Christ also in suffering, and to transform daily life - even difficulties - into a holy offering.

"The Christian teaching on suffering is not a program of easy consolations. It is, first of all, a doctrine of acceptance of that suffering which is in fact inseparable from every human life. I cannot hide from you - with joy, because I have always preached and tried to live that, where there is the Cross, there is Christ, Love - that pain has often appeared in my life; and more than once I have felt like crying. At other times, I have felt my disgust grow in the face of injustice and evil. And I have tasted the discomfort of seeing that I could do nothing, that - in spite of my desires and my efforts - I could not manage to improve those iniquitous situations.

When I speak to you about suffering, I am not just talking about theories. Nor do I limit myself to the experience of others, confirming to you that if, in the face of suffering, you ever feel your soul wavering, the remedy is to look to Christ. The scene of Calvary proclaims to all that afflictions are to be sanctified if we live united to the Cross.

Because our tribulations, lived as Christians, become reparation, atonement, participation in the destiny and life of Jesus, who voluntarily experienced the whole range of pain, all kinds of torments, out of love for mankind. He was born, lived and died poor; he was attacked, insulted, defamed, slandered and unjustly condemned; he knew betrayal and abandonment by his disciples; he experienced loneliness and the bitterness of punishment and death. Even now Christ continues to suffer in His members, in the whole of humanity that populates the earth, and of which He is the Head, and Firstborn, and Redeemer.

Pain enters into God's plans. That is the reality, even if it is difficult for us to understand it. Also, as Man, it was hard for Jesus Christ to bear it: Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.³⁶. In this tension of torture and acceptance of the Father's will, Jesus goes to his death serenely, forgiving those who crucify him.

Precisely, this supernatural admission of pain is, at the same time, the greatest conquest. Jesus, dying on the Cross, has conquered death; God brings life out of death. The attitude of a child of God is not that of one who is resigned to his tragic misfortune; it is the satisfaction of one who already expects victory. In the name of that victorious love of Christ, we Christians must set out on all the roads of the earth, to be sowers of peace and joy with our word and our deeds. We must fight - the struggle of peace - against evil, against injustice, against sin, in order to proclaim that the present human condition is not the definitive one; that the love of God, manifested in the Heart of Christ, will achieve the glorious spiritual triumph of mankind". (It is Christ who passes, 168).