Pope preaches “very strong link” between worship and service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — In the Holy Year 2025, Christians should deepen their spiritual lives through worship and then transform their prayer into concrete acts of service, Pope Francis said.

“There is a very strong connection between worship and service, which we must not forget,” the pope told members of the archconfraternity of Saints. John the Baptist and John the Evangelist of the Knights of Malta of Catanzaro, Italy.

Pope Francis praised their regular practice of Eucharistic devotion and their acts of charity, encouraging them to use the Holy Year to reinvigorate their commitment to prayer and service. “Particularly in this Holy Year, I invite you to cultivate prayer with great commitment, personally and communally,” he said on January 3.

The archconfraternity traces its roots to 1457, when a temple was built for the group in southern Italy. She maintains a special link with the Bishop of Rome through the annual donation of the Paschal candle used in the Basilica of Saint John Lateran, the cathedral of Rome.

Pope Francis praised this enduring tradition, linking it to the group’s ongoing mission to embody the love of Christ through tangible works of mercy. “When you care for the poor, whenever you visit the sick, when you are in the presence of someone who is suffering, you are serving the Lord,” he said.

“Christ came to serve; you too, like branches united to the vine, extend its charity when you are close to the young and the needy with compassion and tenderness,” the pope said. “God is close to us, God is compassionate, God is tender. »

By performing acts of charity, he said, “your testimony of devotion to God and your dedication to your brothers and sisters will shine for everyone along the way.”

Pope Francis recalled that Jesus calls all Christians “to follow him with perseverance, keeping the torch of faith burning during the earthly pilgrimage.”

Copyright © 2025 Catholic News Service/American Conference of Catholic Bishops

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