The ‘most valuable’ gift to give this Christmas, according to Pope Leo XIV

December 24, 2025 – 7:00 AM

How logistics industry experts plan to ‘move forward’ after COVID-19

Reasons why Filipinos love Korean culture and products

Why Batangas is the destination for budget-friendly family holidays

VATICAN— Pope Leo XIV told the young people of Italian Catholic Action that they can perform a simple gesture that would be the best gift this Christmas: make peace.

“Before the holy night of Christmas, think of someone with whom you can make peace,” the pontiff urged members of the organization, founded in 1868, which has established itself as one of the main lay organizations of the Church in Italy.

‘A gift more valuable than those you can buy in stores’

“It will be a gift more valuable than those you can buy in stores, because peace is a gift that is truly found only in the heart,” he added.

In this way, Leo made it clear that peace “is not only the absence of war” but above all “a friendship between peoples founded on justice.”

Christians, called ‘to be better every day’

Leo thus invited his listeners to “become saints” and gave the example of the two young Italians: Pier Giorgio Frassati — who was part of Catholic Action — and Carlo Acutis, whom he canonized together on Sept. 7.

Italian Catholic Action has more than 229,000 members and is present in approximately 5,000 parishes in almost all the dioceses of the country.