'Death never has the last word': papal letter to grieving father (CNA)

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 07:10:13 +0000
Religion

Responding to a letter from a father whose 12-year-old son died 18 years ago, Pope Leo XIV wrote that “death never has the last word.”

“The last word, which opens the doors to eternity and joy that lasts forever, is the resurrection, which knows no discouragement or pain that imprisons us in the extreme difficulty of not finding meaning in our existence,” Pope Leo continued.

The exchange was published in Piazza San Pietro, a magazine published under the Vatican basilica’s auspices. Pope Leo has continued his predecessor’s custom of answering one letter in each issue.