Pope visits Roman parish, meets with young, elderly, parish council
February 17, 2026
Pope Leo XIV conducted his first visit to a parish in the Diocese of Rome on the afternoon of February 15 and addressed young people, the elderly and persons with disabilities, and members of the parish’s pastoral council (video).
The parish, Santa Maria Regina Pacis in Ostia Lido, is entrusted to the Society of the Catholic Apostolate (Pallottines). The Pontiff is scheduled to visit four other parishes over the next four Sundays.
“I am very happy to be here with you this evening to meet you, also with other groups in the parish, and to celebrate the Eucharist, where we all renew our faith in Christ, who is always present among us; who has promised us that when two or three are gathered in his name, Jesus is present,” Pope Leo said to the children and young people. “Jesus is alive with us and gives us this hope of living in peace, love and friendship.”
In his address to the elderly and the disabled, Pope Leo praised the parish for being a welcoming community. Recalling the Winter Olympic Games, he said:
Sport teaches us to be brothers and sisters, to leave differences aside and say “we all want to work in a team,” “we want to be part of a group that leaves differences and always seeks the goal.” So to all of you: best wishes for your participation and thank you also for coming here!
The beloved Pope Francis often said: young people have a lot of energy and want to run ahead of everyone. But perhaps the older ones, grandparents, people with difficulties do not run so much, but they have the wisdom and experience of life. Everyone is part of this parish family and you all have something to say, to give, to share. This is why it is very important that we all come together like this.
Pope Leo thanked the members of the parish council for their sacrifice of time to the parish.
“If we are not a community of faith that lives and bears witness to what it means to be disciples of Jesus, men and women of faith, then all activities remain in the end a bit empty, without the true sense of being Catholics, Christians, friends of Jesus,” the Pope said.
The Pope concluded by encouraging parish council members to “go outside, to look for others. Don’t stay inside the church.”
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