As a member of the Catholic Charities USA Board of Directors, I had the opportunity to travel to Rome this spring for a private audience with our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV. It was my first time traveling to the Vatican, to Rome, or even to Italy. In his address, the Holy Father shared a message of hope and encouragement for the work of Catholic Charities across the United States, as we continue the essential tradition of our faith: caring for the poor. He reminded us that "love for our neighbor is tangible proof of the authenticity of our love for God" (Dilexi Te, 26).

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