Skip to content

Pope Francis offers 5 commitments on the road to Christmas

Pope Francis proposed to the faithful 5 concrete commitments to live with intensity the remaining days of Advent 2022, and to prepare the heart for the birth of the Child Jesus through simple actions.

At the Angelus on December 12, 2021, and before the faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square, the Pontiff asked the question: “What can I do concretely?

In the same vein, he called to ask himself: “These days, as we approach Christmas, how can I do my part?

In response, he encouraged us to make “a concrete commitment, even a small one, that fits our life situation” and carry it forward to prepare ourselves for this Christmas.

Along these lines, he listed 5 commitments that the faithful can make to live with faith and hope this time of joy for the arrival of the Child Jesus:

1. Calling a lonely person on the phone.

2. Visiting an elderly or sick person.

3. Do something to serve a poor person, a person in need.

4. To ask for forgiveness, to forgive, to clear up any conflict or to settle a debt.

5. To take up prayer again and approach the Lord’s forgiveness.

“Brothers and sisters, let us look for something concrete and do it! May the Virgin, in whose womb God became flesh, help us”, he prayed.

Receive the most important news from EWTN Vatican via WhatsApp. It has become increasingly difficult to see Catholic news on social media. Subscribe to our free channel today

Share

Would you like to receive the latest updates on the Pope and the Vatican

Receive articles and updates from our EWTN Newsletter.

More news related to this article

Pope places Pontifical Committee for World Children’s Day within Dicastery for the Laity

Pope Leo XIV has decided that the Pontifical Committee for World Children’s Day should be incorporated within the Dicastery for the Laity, the Family, and Life, whose prefect is Cardinal Kevin Farrell.

My Unforgettable Meeting With Pope Leo XIV — and the Faith of 1 Million Youth

No matter how many times you’ve entered the Apostolic Palace of the Vatican in Rome, you’re always filled with a sense of nervous excitement, especially if you’re about to meet the Holy Father.
Pope Leo XIV at the “Ma Maison” care home for the elderly in Annaba, Algeria, on April 14, 2026. | Credit: AIGAV Pool

Pope Leo XIV in Algeria: God’s heart is not with the wicked or the arrogant

The pontiff stopped at a care home run by the Little Sisters of the Poor during his second

Cardinal Goh: Pope Francis was dedicated to leading Church’s ‘new evangelization’

Cardinal William Goh celebrated a memorial Mass for Pope Francis in Singapore on Tuesday, saying the late Holy Father had a “heart for everyone” and was dedicated to leading the Church toward a “new evangelization” through mercy and love.

Pope Francis: Mary goes before us on the journey of life

During his Angelus address on the solemnity of the Assumption, Pope Francis reminded Catholics that the Blessed Virgin Mary always “goes before us on the journey.”

Catholic Church statistics: Catholic population declines in Europe, grows in rest of the world

The Catholic population in Europe declined by nearly half a million in 2022, but continued to grow in

LIVE
FROM THE VATICAN

Be present live on EWTNVatican.com