Pope Leo hails ‘noble mission’ of military, law enforcement personnel
August 25, 2026
Pope Leo XIV paid tribute to the “noble mission” of members of the military and security agencies.
Receiving a delegation from the Military Ordinariate for Portugal, the Pontiff said on August 24 that “every day, each of you is entrusted with the noble mission of defending the sovereignty of the homeland and the rule of law, safeguarding the security of your fellow citizens and protecting them from injustice.”
Pope Leo continued:
I would therefore like to repeat to you this exhortation of Saint Paul: “Be strong in the Lord ... Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the equipment of the gospel of peace” (Ephesians 6:10, 14-15).
Be strong in the Lord like the centurion who, in Capernaum, approached Jesus. He knew well the values that guide your lives: obedience, discipline, renunciation, loyalty, camaraderie, dedication, responsibility and courage. At the same time, that soldier felt the need for God, he knew that the human being is not sufficient in himself, but aspires to something more, to something that transcends him ...
In fact, the human being, no matter how much responsibility he has, no matter how much power he wields, no matter how blameless he is, is always hungry for the infinite and thirsty for eternity. Now, infinity and eternity are within our reach in Jesus Christ: they are a gift from the Lord.
“To you the Church entrusts the spiritual growth of the military personnel and law enforcement agencies of your nation,” Pope Leo said to the bishop and chaplains of the Ordinariate. “Welcome everyone, listen to them, enlighten them with the wisdom of the Word of God, remain at their side by acting in the name of Christ in the celebration of the Sacraments, accompany each one of them without forgetting their families.”
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