The Pope highlighted the spiritual depth, work commitment and dedication to the needy of Saint Thomas of Villanova, patron saint of the parish.

Pope Leo XIV received a group of faithful from the Parish of St. Thomas of Villanova in Alcalá de Henares, Spain, in a private audience this morning. The meeting took place in the Consistory Hall of the Apostolic Palace, in an atmosphere of great warmth and fraternity, during the community’s jubilee pilgrimage.

“Dear pilgrim brothers, I invite you to move forward decisively following in the footsteps of Christ; the example of the saints inspires and strengthens us in this beautiful adventure of faith,” the Holy Father said, addressing the Spanish visitors, many of whom had actively participated in the Jubilee Year activities.

The Pope expressed his gratitude for the community’s preparation for the pilgrimage and for the spiritual accompaniment they have offered the Successor of Peter throughout a year marked by special challenges for the universal Church. He also recalled the special connection between Alcalá de Henares and Saint Thomas of Villanova, whose historical presence is still felt in the city.

“Your parish is named after Saint Thomas of Villanova, a Spanish Augustinian friar who fully embraced divine grace, allowing his life to bear abundant good for the Church and society of his time. You know his story well, and Alcalá de Henares holds valuable memories of his time in the world,” the Pope remarked.

A deep inner life and constant prayer

The Holy Father took the opportunity to reflect on three essential characteristics of the patron saint that invite personal, family, and parish meditation. The first was his intense interior life.

“In his teachings and his example, Saint Thomas shows us a constant aspiration to uninterrupted prayer: that holy restlessness to remain always before God. This requires a true spiritual depth, which involves stripping ourselves of ourselves to make room for listening to and the action of the Lord.”

The value of dedicated and generous work

Secondly, Leo XIV emphasized the saint’s industriousness, an aspect that is particularly relevant in today’s society.

“Their austerity, their tireless dedication—especially in the academic field—and their apostolic passion challenge us today, when everything seems immediately accessible and effortless. They remind us that we must identify our gifts and put them at the service of others, with perseverance and humility, so that they may bear abundant fruit for the benefit of the whole community.”

Charity towards the poor, the presence of the Lord

Finally, the Pope referred to Saint Thomas of Villanova’s profound love for the most disadvantaged, which earned him the title of “God’s almsgiver.” He emphasized that this dimension is very much alive in Spanish parishes, manifested in concrete initiatives.

“I thank you for this special attention, for ‘the poor person is not only someone we assist, but the sacramental presence of the Lord’ (Apostolic Exhortation Dilexi te, 44),” he affirmed.

At the conclusion, the Pontiff imparted his apostolic blessing and invoked the intercession of the Virgin of Val, wishing the pilgrims a prosperous new year and a return full of spiritual graces.