Pope Leo: 'No situation could make God turn His gaze from us'

Vatican, June 10, 2026: Pope Leo XIV reminded prisoners that God’s love and mercy remain constant regardless of a person’s past, during a visit to the Brians 1 Penitential Centre on Wednesday morning as part of his Apostolic Journey to Spain.

Addressing inmates, the Pope said that God’s love surpasses both the good and bad deeds of every individual and emphasised the inherent dignity of every human person. “To each of you I say: God loves you just as you are, but He dreams of you being even better! The Lord allows us all to start anew, for being human and being Christian does not mean never making mistakes, but rather growing in the ability to convert, repent, make amends and, above all, to reconcile and forgive.”

The Holy Father described this as a consoling truth that accompanies people throughout their lives. He stressed that every person remains precious in God’s eyes because each one has been created and loved by Him. “Every human being,” the Holy Father insisted, “is 'worthy' by the mere fact of having been willed, created and loved by God. There is, therefore, no situation that causes the Lord to turn His gaze away from us.”

The Pope noted that this message is particularly relevant for those who carry the burden of separation from their loved ones and who suffer because of their present circumstances. Encouraging them not to lose hope, he said, “When you are tempted to feel inferior and think it is not worth going on, lift up your eyes to the One who, through the presence of so many people, never ceases to show you His love and closeness.”

Acknowledging that anxiety and sadness can accompany certain stages of life, Pope Leo said that a person’s mistakes do not define his or her identity. Referring to the writings of St. Augustine in the Confessions, he recalled how the saint spoke of the Lord accompanying people on their life journey.

The Pope explained that trust in divine grace allows individuals to discover that the past does not determine the future. “If we trust in divine grace and allow ourselves to be guided and transformed by it, we discover in our lives how the past does not condemn the future but rather, as the great Saint continued, offers us the possibility of changing our decisions and choices.”

Inviting the inmates to open their hearts to God and seek His presence, Pope Leo encouraged them to place their hope in the Lord. “Let us allow His love to guide us. Let us cling to Him, who continually invites us to hope,” he said.

The Holy Father reassured them that God reveals a horizon that cannot be limited by physical barriers. He added that the Lord continues to speak in the depths of human consciences and helps people recognise His presence among them.

Pope Leo said that God is waiting for people to respond to His invitation and give Him a place in their lives. “I invite you to keep dreaming God's dream and let Him start us anew,” he said.

Concluding his address, the Pope entrusted the prisoners in a special way to the maternal intercession of Our Lady of Mercy and imparted his Apostolic Blessing.

Courtesy: Vatican News