Pope Leo XIV reflects on Gaudium et Spes and the Church's role in the modern world

During a general audience, Pope Leo XIV began a series of reflections on the documents of the Second Vatican Council, specifically focusing on the pastoral constitution ‘Gaudium et Spes’. The document addresses the relationship between the Catholic Church and the contemporary world.

The Pope emphasized that the Church must not remain passive or indifferent to global events. Instead, believers are called to share in the joys, hopes, sorrows, and anxieties of modern humanity. He urged the faithful to listen with their hearts and to support those suffering from injustice, discrimination, and violence, particularly the poor.

This reflection draws on the historical context established by Saint John XXIII, who sought to move away from a view of the era as merely declining, instead viewing the current historical moment as a period of new human relationships and divine providence.