In a profound meditation titled “If Anyone Is in Christ, He is a New Creation,” Father Roberto Pasolini, Preacher of the Papal Household, addressed Pope Leo XIV and the Roman Curia on the transformative power of fraternity. Drawing inspiration from the conversion of St. Francis of Assisi, the Capuchin friar presented fraternity not merely as an ideal, but as a “serious and urgent” responsibility and a gift essential for true conversion.
Father Pasolini argued that fraternity serves as the most eloquent evidence of the Gospel’s impact, acting as a concrete space where God refines our humanity and softens our rigidities. He exhorted listeners to look beyond personal sustenance and view others as individuals entrusted to them for the purpose of mutual transformation.
Referencing the biblical narrative of Cain and Abel, he warned that rifts between brothers often stem from a “problem of perspective,” urging the Curia to examine any internal resentment or “Cain-like” tendencies.
For St. Francis, fraternity provided an opportunity to practice the “merciful logic of the Gospel,” especially when relationships are wounded.
Rather than defending personal rights, Pasolini noted, the Gospel calls for seeking the “greatest possible good”—recognizing even those who hurt us as brothers loved by the Lord. By maintaining an eternal perspective, Christians can ensure no one is excluded from their hearts. In an era of global conflict, Pasolini concluded that fraternity must be lived as a present duty, proving that faith does not separate but calls us to a deeper, more capable love.
