Seeing everyone as a brother or sister is part of Christianity, pope says November 12, 2025By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: News, Vatican, World News VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Being a Christian means recognizing every person as a brother or sister and always being ready to lend a helping hand, Pope Leo XIV said. “Brothers and sisters support each other in hardship, they do not turn their back on those who are in need, and they weep and rejoice together in the active pursuit of unity, trust and mutual reliance,” the pope said Nov. 12 at his weekly general audience. Pope Leo XIV greets British model Naomi Campbell at the end of his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican Nov. 12, 2025. (CNS photo/Vatican Media) Continuing his series of audience talks on “Jesus our hope,” the pope said he wanted to look specifically at Jesus’ command to his followers that they love one another. Relationships support and enrich human life and make it possible to survive, grow and learn, he said. They are an antidote to “loneliness and even a narcissism that is concerned with others only out of self-interest.” But even more, the pope said, fraternity is “an essential feature of Christianity, which ever since the beginning has been the proclamation of the Good News destined for the salvation of all, never in an exclusive or private form.” As sons and daughters of God, he said, it is clear that all people are brothers and sisters to each other. In a world torn by war and division, he said, it is “more urgent today than ever, to reflect on the greeting with which St. Francis of Assisi addressed everyone, regardless of their geographical, cultural, religious and doctrinal origins: ‘omnes fratres’ (brothers and sisters all).” St. Francis “placed all human beings on the same level, precisely because he recognized them in their common destiny of dignity, dialogue, welcome and salvation,” the pope said. Summarizing his talk in English, Pope Leo said that St. Francis of Assisi “knew that everyone has the same needs: to be respected, welcomed, heard and saved. Indeed, this is the Good News and a core tenet of our Christian faith: God’s saving love is for everyone, no exceptions.” Addressing Portuguese speakers, the pope said Jesus calls his followers to live fraternity “through concrete gestures, words and actions.” Christians, he added, are called to “a continual striving to outdo one another in mutual respect and reciprocal care.” “May the Lord free us from all selfishness and division and renew us in hope that we may faithfully imitate his generous love for all people,” he prayed. Read More Vatican News Pope Leo to youth: Jesus doesn’t want you to be couch potatoes Pope prays for victims of deadly wildfires in Spain, France Pope Leo appeals for dialogue, diplomacy, prayers for just peace in Holy Land, Middle East Andrea Bocelli to sing for Pope Leo with international children’s choir Journalists launch initiative to bring letters from Venezuelan quake survivors to Pope Leo XIV Young American missionaries get papal shoutout during summer in Rome Copyright © 2025 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Print
