Pope Leo ‘breaks bread’ with people experiencing poverty from the Diocese of Albano Laziale in the Gardens of the Pontifical Villas. (Photo from the Vatican Media)
VATICAN CITY, Rome — Sharing a lunch with the poor sponsored by Caritas Albano in Castel Gandolfo, the Pope enjoined his guests as well as the faithful to “find God’s presence in everyone” as he explained that “each one of us is made in the image of God.”
Amid the beauty of nature and creation in the Gardens of the Pontifical Villas and beneath the large gazebo set up to ‘share bread’ with the poor, Pope Leo XIV 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 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,” he enthused.
Speaking off the cuff, Leo shared that “breaking bread together (is) a gesture that for us all is deeply significant: the act through which we recognize Jesus Christ present among us.”
Before the meal, he 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.”
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.”
The prelate 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.”
Leo then ‘broke bread and shared the Lord’s gifts’ as he looked 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.
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.”
In ending, the American pontiff disclosed that “before speeches or inaugurations comes fraternal sharing, because ‘Gospel hospitality begins with the poor’.”
“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,” he concluded.
