Pope Leo ends Spain visit with call for compassion, integration, and hope
Pope Leo XIV concluded his apostolic journey to Spain on June 12 with a series of events in Tenerife focused on migration and pastoral care, culminating in a Mass during which he reflected on the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Pope Leo XIV concluded his apostolic journey to Spain on June 12 with a series of events in Tenerife focused on migration and pastoral care, culminating in a Mass during which he reflected on the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Pope Leo visits migrants at Las Raíces reception center
The Pope began the day at the Las Raíces migrant reception center, where he met with migrants who had crossed the Atlantic from the Canary Islands. Continuing themes from his previous stop in Gran Canaria, one of those islands, he listened to the migrants’ personal testimonies before addressing the group.
“It is providential that we can come together, see one another and, above all, recognize that, no matter where we come from, God’s love knows no borders, makes no distinctions, is given to all and brings us together in unity,” Pope Leo said.
He acknowledged the hardships the migrants have faced, saying he saw in their stories “hearts — wounded by so many difficulties, yet also comforted by the love you have received from other open, generous and merciful hearts.”
He invoked the Parable of the Good Samaritan and the missionary history of saints from the Canary Islands, who were themselves migrants who carried faith, hope, and charity into new lands.
“In those unknown lands, the holy migrants and missionaries shared what they had and likewise welcomed the new things that were offered to them,” Pope Leo said.
He encouraged migrants to similarly “share the treasures of your humanity, of your dreams and of your culture,” while remaining open to “receiving what is offered to you.” This exchange, Pope Leo stressed, must be lived “responsibly” and oriented toward future generations “to whom we wish to bequeath the heritage of a civilization of love.”
The Pope also drew attention to the name Las Raíces, meaning “the roots,” and said migrants should remain “firmly rooted in the Lord” so that “no storm” can drive them from God’s presence.
“I carry you in my heart and will remember you in my prayers. May God bless you, your families, and all who do good to you,” Pope Leo concluded. “And may the Blessed Virgin Mary, Consolation of Migrants, always accompany and assist you with her maternal protection.”
Pope Leo urges deeper integration of migrants
After the visit, Pope Leo met with organizations working on migrant integration in Plaza del Cristo de La Laguna. There, he said the most daunting walls are often not physical barriers, but fear, indifference, and closed attitudes.
“The sea which surrounds these islands brings us stories that we do not always know how to interpret: stories of pain, of hope, and of searching,” Pope Leo said. “In a city without walls, the heart too is called to open wide to welcome those who bring these stories with them.”
He said integration must go beyond mere assistance. It should not erase “the history of those who arrive” or create “parallel worlds” that are “closed off from one another,” but instead become a mutual exchange of giving and receptivity.
“Integration is a reciprocal journey,” Pope Leo said. “Those who arrive learn to inhabit a new land, and those who welcome them learn to expand their own homes without diluting their identity or closing their hearts to the encounter.”
Addressing migrants directly, the Holy Father said they are called to open themselves to their new communities by learning the language, respecting the laws, becoming familiar with local customs, participating in community life, and offering their gifts “with gratitude.”
Pope Leo also condemned human traffickers and others who profit from migration, including those who “organize death routes,” threaten women, and exploit workers, urging them to repent “while there is still time.”
“Stop. Repent. The tears and blood of these brothers and sisters cry out to God, and their suffering reaches Him,” the Holy Father said, adding that God’s mercy can reach “the most hardened sinner” but only through “the narrow gate of truth, justice and conversion.”
Pope Leo celebrates Holy Mass on the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart
Later in the day, Pope Leo celebrated Mass at the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. In his homily, he invited the faithful to contemplate the Sacred Heart of Jesus as the center of human history.
Drawing on the day’s readings, Pope Leo reflected on God’s unconditional love and humanity’s call to mirror it. He described divine love as permeating the whole person — “fire for the soul, light for the mind, peace” — and emphasized its expression in concrete service to those in need.
Authentic charity, Pope Leo said, promotes the full integral development of each person — spiritual, intellectual, and physical — and leads to dignified integration within the community.
“Only in this way will our encounters, even in the face of difficult and painful circumstances, become an opportunity to sow seeds of hope on humanity's journey toward a better future,” he said.
He also highlighted a “final characteristic of the heart of Christ: humility.” Prosperity, he warned, can too easily make people blind to the needs of others and falsely suggest that happiness and fulfillment depend on oneself alone.
“Jesus, on the other hand, teaches us the opposite,” the Holy Father said. “To experience the true joy of life, which lies in love, we must step down from the pedestals of arrogance that divide us and see ourselves in the humility that unites us.”
Quoting St. Augustine, Pope Leo said, “Where there is charity, there is peace, and where there is humility, there is charity.”
He encouraged the faithful present to become bearers of Christ’s mercy and peace, so that “wars may cease in the world and the new humanity reconciled in love may rise up around us.”
