Vatican City, Sep 22, 2025 / 09:05 am (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV on Monday praised women religious throughout history, saying they “did not hesitate to take risks and confront problems in order to embrace [God’s] plans and respond ‘yes’ to his call.”
The pope met Sept. 22 with Discalced Carmelite nuns from the Holy Land along with participants in the general chapters of three women’s congregations: the Sisters of St. Catherine VM, the Salesian Missionaries of Mary Immaculate, and the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres.
Taking his inspiration from the Book of Proverbs — “A strong woman who can find? She is far more precious than jewels” — the Holy Father said: “I believe your histories offer an answer to that question; in them, God found not one but many strong and courageous women.”
During the gathering in the Consistory Hall of the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace, Pope Leo XIV recalled the witness of Regina Protmann, foundress of the Sisters of St. Catherine VM; Maria Gertrude of the Precious Blood, foundress of the Salesian Missionaries of Mary Immaculate; Marie-Anne de Tilly, co-foundress with Father Louis Chauvet of the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres; and St. Teresa of Ávila, reformer of Carmel and doctor of the Church.
“They were committed to planting and strengthening in the hearts of their brothers and sisters that same kingdom of Christ they firstly experienced within themselves and to spreading it throughout the world,” he said.
Witnesses even to martyrdom
The pope stressed that these women “paved the way for many others who, like you, have followed Christ in his poverty, chastity, and obedience, carrying on his work, sometimes even to the point of martyrdom.”
He continued: “We are speaking of extraordinary women who went forth as missionaries in difficult times. They stooped down to care for those suffering moral and material misery, reaching the most neglected areas of society. To remain close to those in need, they accepted the risk of losing their lives, even to the point of dying as victims of brutal violence in times of war.”
Quoting the Liturgy of the Hours, the pope recalled: “With fasts her body she subdued, but filled her soul with prayer’s sweet food: in other worlds she tastes the bliss.”
He said: “The strength to remain faithful in both areas comes from the same source: Christ. The Church’s experience over millennia teaches that the means by which we draw on the richness of his grace include asceticism, prayer, the sacraments, intimacy with God, his Word, and the things of heaven.”
“Perhaps some people in our overly immanentist world might dismiss this as a type of ‘spiritualism,’ but such a view is easily refuted by the testimony of what your congregations have accomplished over the centuries and continue to do today. Indeed, it is only through the strength that comes from God that all this has been possible. After all, we experience this truth every day: Our work is in the Lord’s hands, and we are only small and inadequate instruments, or ‘unworthy servants,’ as the Gospel says. Yet, if we entrust ourselves to him and remain united with him, great things can happen, precisely through our poverty.”
‘Even today there is a need for generous women’
The pope urged the sisters to remain faithful to this legacy. “Dear sisters, this is the legacy you have received, and it is what makes your presence here so meaningful. Even today, in fact, there is a need for generous women.”
He offered a special greeting to the Discalced Carmelite Sisters of the Holy Land, calling their mission “important, through your vigilant and silent presence in places sadly torn apart by hatred and violence, through your witness of trusting abandonment to God, and through your constant entreaties for peace.”
“We all accompany you with our prayers and, through you, draw close to those who suffer,” he added.
Finally, Pope Leo thanked all women religious around the world: “Thank you to all of you, Sisters, for the good you do in so many countries and diverse contexts around the world. I bless you from my heart and remember you in my prayers to the Lord.”
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
If you value the news and views Catholic World Report provides, please consider donating to support our efforts. Your contribution will help us continue to make CWR available to all readers worldwide for free, without a subscription. Thank you for your generosity!
Click here for more information on donating to CWR. Click here to sign up for our newsletter.
Leave a Reply