Wednesday Audience

The Latest

Pope Francis addresses pilgrims gathered for his general audience on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, at the Vatican.

Pope Francis prays for Cyclone Chido victims in France’s poorest overseas territory

Dec 18, 2024

By Kristina Millare

Pope Francis on Wednesday prayed especially for Cyclone Chido victims in the French territory of Mayotte during his weekly general... Read more

Pope Francis addresses pilgrims gathered in the Paul VI Audience Hall at the Vatican for his general audience on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024.

Pope Francis: Gentleness, respect are more effective than ‘the strength of arguments’

Dec 11, 2024

By Kristina Millare

The Holy Father said “the first and most effective form of evangelization” is the love we show others.  Read more

Pope Francis blesses a toddler during his general audience on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024, in St. Peter’s Square.

Pope Francis: Preaching must rely on Holy Spirit, keep homilies under 10 minutes

Dec 4, 2024

By Kristina Millare

“Preachers must preach an idea, a feeling, and a call to action. Beyond eight minutes the preaching starts to fade,... Read more

Pope Francis greets pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square for his Wednesday general audience on Nov. 20, 2024, at the Vatican.

Pope Francis reads Ukrainian student’s moving testimony of faith at general audience

Nov 20, 2024

By Kristina Millare

“Through this pain, I am learning greater love. Pain is not only a road to anger and despair; if based... Read more

Pope Francis addresses pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square for his general audience on Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024.

Pope Francis: Intentionally hurting migrants ‘is a grave sin’

Aug 28, 2024

By Hannah Brockhaus

The pope spoke at length about the poor conditions of migrants who attempt to cross a sea or desert to... Read more

An activist from PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) holds a sign that reads “la corrida e peccato” (“bullfighting is a sin”), temporarily interrupted Pope Francis’ catechesis during his Wednesday general audience on Aug. 7, 2024.

Animal rights activists plead with Pope Francis to end bullfighting

Aug 7, 2024

By Kristina Millare

Two activists connected to PETA temporarily interrupted Pope Francis’ Wednesday audience in Vatican City, calling on him to take action... Read more

Pope Francis gives a blessing to pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square during his general audience on Wednesday, June 19, 2024.

Pope Francis tells faithful: Learn some of the Psalms by heart

Jun 19, 2024

By Hannah Brockhaus

“It is necessary to make the Psalms our prayer,” the pope said at his general audience in an overcast but... Read more

Pope Francis addresses pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square for his general audience on Wednesday, June 12, 2024.

Pope Francis: Keep your homilies short or ‘people will fall asleep’

Jun 12, 2024

By Courtney Mares

Speaking at his Wednesday catechesis on June 12, the pope explained that the goal of a homily is to “help... Read more

Pope Francis delivers a message during his general audience on Wednesday, May 1, 2024, in Paul VI Hall at the Vatican.

Pope Francis: We need to ‘welcome God into our daily lives’ and pray for ‘real peace’

May 1, 2024

By Kristina Millare

On Wednesday, Pope Francis addressed an international audience in the Paul VI Hall and reiterated the importance of faith in... Read more

Pope Francis addresses pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square for his Wednesday general audience on March 13, 2024.

Pope Francis: Virtue enables us to have ‘a tendency towards the right choice’

Mar 13, 2024

By Matthew Santucci

Pope Francis on Wednesday opened a new chapter in his ongoing catechetical series on vices and virtues. Read more

Pope Francis presides over Ash Wednesday Mass at the Basilica of Santa Sabina in Rome on Feb. 14, 2024.

Pope Francis on Ash Wednesday: ‘Let us return to God with all our heart’

Feb 14, 2024

By Courtney Mares

The Lord is inviting us to “remove the masks we so often wear” and to see ourselves as we truly... Read more

Pope Francis greets pilgrims at his Wednesday general audience on Jan. 10, 2024.

Pope Francis at audience: Gluttony is perhaps the most dangerous vice

Jan 10, 2024

By Matthew Santucci

In the third installment of his catechetical series on vice and virtue, Pope Francis on Wednesday focused on the sin... Read more

Pope Francis delivers his general audience address to pilgrims in the Paul VI Audience Hall at the Vatican on Dec. 27, 2023.

Pope Francis: One must never dialogue with the devil

Dec 27, 2023

By Matthew Santucci

Pope Francis inaugurated a new catechetical series on vices and virtues during Wednesday’s general audience by opening with the story... Read more

Pope Francis speaks at his general audience Dec. 20, 2023, at Paul VI Hall at the Vatican.

Pope Francis: The Nativity is an example of ‘joy’ and ‘amazement’

Dec 20, 2023

By Matthew Santucci

Pope Francis on Wednesday spoke during his general audience on the importance of approaching the coming of Christ with “joy”... Read more

Pope Francis addresses pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square for his Wednesday general audience on Nov. 15, 2023.

Pope Francis: The Gospel is universal

Nov 22, 2023

By Matthew Santucci

During his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Francis highlighted the universal nature of the Church’s mission to... Read more

Pope Francis at the general audience at St. Peter's Square on Oct. 25, 2023.

Pope Francis: To evangelize, ‘faith must be inculturated’

Oct 25, 2023

By Matthew Santucci

At his weekly general audience, Pope Francis recounted the story of Sts. Cyril and Methodius as one of encounter with... Read more

Josephine Bakhita.

Pope Francis highlights St. Josephine Bakhita’s example of forgiveness

Oct 11, 2023

By Matthew Santucci

The Sudanese-Italian saint’s life story is “an existential parable of forgiveness,” the pope said Wednesday. Read more

Pope Francis at the general audience in St. Peter's Square, Sept. 14, 2016.

Trust in Jesus – not in things that don't matter, Pope says

Sep 14, 2016

By Hannah Brockhaus

Rather than trusting in ultimately unimportant things, place your hope in Jesus and you will not grow weary on the... Read more

Pope Francis at the Wednesday general audience in St. Peter's Square, June 22, 2016.

Pope delivers weekly catechesis alongside his 'brother' refugees

Jun 22, 2016

Joined closely by just over a dozen refugees at his weekly public audience, Pope Francis said that in following Jesus’... Read more

Pope Francis at the general audience in St. Peter's Square on Dec. 16, 2015.

How does God show mercy to us? Through the Church, Pope says

Dec 16, 2015

By Ann Schneible

The Church is the “living sign” of God's love and mercy in the world, Pope Francis said during his Wednesday... Read more