Christian World | Pope Leo XIV, at Mass in Santa Cruz in his former Peruvian diocese, said the unanswered cry for justice is a great concern for the Church and society

ACW | November 14, 2026 — Pope Leo XIV said on Saturday that the unanswered cry for justice is "a matter of great concern for both the Church and society," celebrating Mass in Santa Cruz de Succhabamba in Peru's Diocese of Chiclayo, Vatican News reported.

Thousands of Catholics from rural Andean communities made the pilgrimage to Santa Cruz, where Jesus is venerated as "El Señor del Costado," Vatican News said. It gave no crowd figure.

Turning to the Gospel parable of the persistent widow, the pope urged the faithful to pray "without losing heart." "Where there is faith, there is prayer," he said.

The cry for justice "is still sadly heard today, unanswered, on the lips of so many men and women," Leo said. He praised those who provide "dignified jobs" and warned against the temptation "to give in to discouragement, resentment, or evil."

Before the Mass, the pope visited the local parish and told the sick: "You, too, are part of the Church, and we want to be close to you," Vatican News reported.

Background: Santa Cruz lies in the Diocese of Chiclayo, which Leo led as bishop before his election as pope, Vatican News said. Earlier the same day he crowned a statue of the Virgin Mary at Chiclayo's cathedral (Pope Leo crowns Mary statue in his former Peru cathedral).

Why it matters: In his former diocese, Leo called the unanswered cry for justice "a matter of great concern for both the Church and society" and pointed to dignified work as a path to "integral human development," Vatican News reported.

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Sources: Vatican News — Pope in Santa Cruz: Jesus calls Church to heed unanswered cries for justice; Vatican News — Pope Leo greets faithful at parish in Santa Cruz

Photo: Vatican Media