Pope Francis offered encouragement to members of the Saints Peter and Paul Association as it commemorated the 50th anniversary of its founding by Pope St. Paul VI. Members of the association offer hospitality in St. Peter’s Basilica and take part in cultural and charitable initiatives.

“Through your daily services you become artisans of encounter, bringing the warmth of Jesus’ kindness to those who enter Saint Peter’s Basilica, to those who need guidance, to those who need a smile to feel at home,” Pope Francis said. “Let us begin again with more humanity, looking to Jesus, with hope in our hearts.”