Church is holy by Christ’s presence, not human perfection, pope says March 4, 2026By Josephine Peterson Catholic News Service Filed Under: News, Vatican, World News VATICAN CITY (CNS) –The Catholic Church is both a community made up of fragile and limited human beings and a divine reality, Pope Leo XIV said at his weekly general audience. The pope continued his series on the Second Vatican Council March 4 in St. Peter’s Square, emphasizing one of its principal documents, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, “Lumen Gentium,” which examines the nature and identity of the Church. He said the Church is “a community of men and women who share the joy and struggle of being Christians, with their strengths and weaknesses, proclaiming the Gospel and becoming a sign of the presence of Christ who accompanies us on our journey through life.” However, he added, it also has a “divine dimension.” Its divine nature “does not consist in an ideal perfection or spiritual superiority of its members, but in the fact that the Church is generated by God’s plan for humanity, realized in Christ,” he said. As proof of this coexistence, Pope Leo pointed to the life of Jesus Christ to illustrate the two dimensions of the Church. People were moved by his humanity, the sounds of his voice, as well as his message. “Those who decided to follow him were moved precisely by the experience of his welcoming gaze, the touch of his blessing hands, his words of liberation and healing,” the pope said. “At the same time, however, by following that man, the disciples opened themselves to an encounter with God. Indeed, Christ’s flesh, his face, his gestures and his words visibly manifest the invisible God.” It is through this humanity, through the struggles and fragility of the faithful that Christ’s presence is manifested, the pope said. “This is what constitutes the holiness of the Church: the fact that Christ dwells in her and continues to give himself through the smallness and fragility of her members,” he said. Pope Leo said this dichotomy is quintessential of God’s love, making himself visible through the weakness of his creation and “continuing to manifest himself and to act.” The faithful are called to act through communion and charity among all. “Let us strive to be authentic witnesses of the love of Christ so that all can recognize in us and among us the charity that characterizes true Christians and builds up the Church,” the pope said in his greetings to English-speakers. Read More Vatican News Pentagon disputes report senior officials lectured Vatican diplomat about Pope Leo Pope Leo praises ceasefire as ‘genuine hope,’ presses for dialogue, peace Pope Leo urges citizens to call on leaders to reject war after ‘unacceptable’ Trump Iran threat Pope sends Easter greetings to Catholic parish in Gaza amid fear, uncertainty of war ‘The power with which Christ rose is entirely nonviolent,’ pope says in Easter peace message At Easter Mass, Pope Leo proclaims Resurrection conquers ‘the power of death’ Copyright © 2026 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Print
