In the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Peace be with you.
Dear brothers and sisters,
Good morning and welcome!

You have come to Rome in this Jubilee Year from various countries, as pilgrims of hope. I welcome you. I greet His Eminence Cardinal Gérald Cyprien Lacroix, archbishop of Québec, Mr. José Prado Flores, and also his family, and all of you, members of the “San Andres” Schools of Evangelization, who are present here.

As you know, today the Universal Church celebrates the liturgical memorial of the martyrdom of Saint John the Baptist. His figure can help us a great deal to reflect on the mission of evangelizers today in the Church and in the contemporary world. The Prologue of the Gospel of Saint John affirms that “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (Jn 1:14), and then indicates that John, the Baptist, bore witness to it (cf. 1:15). If we carefully reread the first chapters of the fourth Gospel, we can discover the key to every school of evangelization: bearing witness to what we have contemplated, to the encounter with the God of life. The evangelist also tells us this in his first letter: “That which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you may have fellowship with us; and our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ” (1 Jn 1:3). This is the mission of the Church: this is the mission of every Christian.

Dear brothers and sisters, this is our vocation as baptized persons, and so we must pass on what we have in turn received, so that we all may become one in Christ. In these days of pilgrimage, I invite you in a particular way to contemplate the lives of the saints who, like Saint John the Baptist, were faithful followers of Jesus Christ, manifesting him in words and in good works.

I thank you for the fruitful work you carry out in support of evangelization, by various means, and I encourage you to continue to walk with renewed hope. May God bless you and Our Lady of Guadalupe protect you always in your mission. All the best for your journey!

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Holy See Press Office Bulletin, 29 August 2025