Pope Leo XIV urges aid to the vulnerable and warns against waste in summer message

In the July‑August 2026 issue of the Vatican’s Piazza San Pietro magazine, Pope Leo XIV answered a reader’s question about living a spiritual summer. He called on the faithful to think of the sick, victims of war, migrants, the poor and the elderly, urging families “not to leave your elderly alone.” He also advised against materialism, excess and waste, recommending a sober, peace‑focused approach to the holiday season.

During the same period, the Pope met with about 140 young missionaries participating in Regnum Christi’s formation program in Rome. At his summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, he gave them a public shout‑out, praising their evangelisation work and emphasizing solidarity and service to the most vulnerable. The gathering included participants from the United States, Germany, Poland, Mexico, the Philippines and other nations.

Both the published letter and the encounter highlighted the Pope’s emphasis on solidarity, care for migrants and the elderly, and a call for a modest, non‑consumerist summer lived in accordance with the Gospel of peace and mercy.