Religious quotes and news – June 7, 2026
Snippets of religious statements and highlights of events from around the world
Family based on man and woman
In a video message to a symposium in Brazil, Pope Leo XIV described the family as a “unique community of persons formed by a man and a woman”. On May 25, the pope had also told members of the EU Parliament that the family is “founded on marriage between a man and a woman”.
Humanity’s search for truth
Addressing members of the Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice Foundation, Pope Leo said:
“Indeed, it is precisely when faced with adverse circumstances that the human person is called to reconsider the fundamental questions that have gently prodded the heart of countless generations to more serious reflection: ‘Where are we going? Toward what goal do we wish to orient ourselves? What direction should we choose as a people and as a human community?’
“Such questions are a clear manifestation of humanity’s search for truth and give rise to a desire for something more, a thirst for God and lasting meaning. They also bear witness to the essential aspects of our humanity: the God-given gifts of reason and freedom by which we may come to know the truth and adhere to what is good.”
Mental health and life’s meaning
In a speech to education ministers from Ibero-American countries, linking the mental health challenges experienced by young people to the loss of a sense of meaning, Pope Leo said:
“Many young people possess increasingly sophisticated technological devices, yet they struggle to find a meaning for living, hoping, loving and even suffering. Behind so many difficulties, loneliness and psychological fragility often lies a silent question: ‘Does my life have any meaning? Is there a reliable hope for the future?’
“When human beings are reduced to performance, consumption or a statistical figure, profound inner suffering inevitably arises. Many young people today live under the yoke of expectations and performance, immersed in a frenzied competitiveness that generates anxiety, fear of not being good enough and disorientation.”
(Compiled by Fr Joe Borg)