Pope Leo XIV visits this afternoon the church of Sant Agustí, right in the heart of Barcelona’s Raval neighborhood, one of the city’s most socially complex and multicultural areas. Known as the “cathedral of the poor” for its close ties to realities of exclusion, poverty, and immigration, this historic Baroque church will host a meeting between the Pontiff and representatives of Cáritas and various social organizations.
The visit took place in a warm atmosphere and was marked by dialogue between the Pope and those present. One of the most notable moments was the conversation with Renzo, a six-year-old boy who asked the Holy Father several questions about sports, vocation, suffering, the loneliness of the elderly, and forgiveness.
“Life is not a race to show off”
In response to a question about football, Leo XIV took advantage of the proximity of the World Cup to highlight the educational value of sport. The Pontiff explained that football teaches a fundamental lesson for life: no one can move forward alone.
“Life is not a race to shine individually, but a path we learn to walk together,” the Pope stated, who also confessed his fondness for tennis and his interest in football. He explained that those who do not know how to share the ball with their teammates have not fully understood the meaning of human coexistence.
Friendship with Jesus, more important than any profession
The boy also asked the Pope if he had ever dreamed of becoming Pontiff. Leo XIV replied that he had never thought about it as a child, although from a young age he felt the desire to dedicate his life to God.
Drawing from that personal experience, he encouraged the children not to obsess over their future careers, but to cultivate an authentic relationship with Christ.
“More important than asking what one will be in the future is asking whether one wants to be a friend of Jesus,” the Holy Father noted, stressing that this friendship helps discover the concrete vocation God has prepared for each person.
Suffering and trust in God
Another question posed by Renzo concerned the problem of suffering and the injustices experienced by many people. Leo XIV acknowledged that there is no simple answer, but he recalled that Jesus Christ himself suffered rejection and death despite having dedicated his life to doing good.
The Pope invited the audience to contemplate the Resurrection as the definitive response to human pain and assured that God never abandons His children, even in the most difficult moments.
A call to care for the elderly
The loneliness of older people also occupied a significant part of the meeting. The Pontiff lamented that many elderly people live in isolation and urged young people to always keep their hearts open to them.
Leo XIV recalled that grandparents play an essential role in family life and emphasized that care for them should not be limited to family ties alone.
“Let us not allow loneliness and abandonment to become something normal in the lives of the elderly,” he stated.
Forgiveness does not mean forgetting
The child’s final question focused on forgiveness. The Holy Father recalled the Gospel passage in which Saint Peter asks Jesus how many times he must forgive someone who offends him.
According to Leo XIV, forgiving does not necessarily mean forgetting what happened, but preventing hatred from taking hold of the heart.
“Jesus asks us to forgive because it is the only way to experience God’s peace and heal spiritual wounds,” he noted.
Service to the most vulnerable
After answering young Renzo’s questions, the Pope addressed the leaders of the charitable organizations present at the event. He thanked them for the daily work they carry out on behalf of those suffering from poverty, exclusion, dependency, or various forms of vulnerability.
Leo XIV recalled that human dignity does not depend on personal abilities, social success, or accumulated wealth, but on the love of God that sustains every person.
The Pontiff encouraged ecclesial institutions to continue approaching those who suffer “with discretion, gentleness, and perseverance,” especially in an era when, he warned, awareness of the inherent dignity of every human being seems to have weakened.
Witnesses of hope
Before concluding the meeting, Leo XIV encouraged the organizations present to persevere in their mission and to continue showing “the beauty of the Christian life” through concrete service to those in need.
The event concluded with the Pope’s blessing and personal greetings to several members of the social service entities. Cardinal Juan José Omella, Archbishop of Barcelona, thanked the Holy Father for his visit and assured that the Church in Barcelona will continue working to defend the dignity of the most vulnerable and to make visible in them the face of Christ.