Pope Leo XIV to grieving father: ‘Death never has the last word’

Vatican City, Oct 17, 2025 / 13:38 pm

Pope Leo XIV has responded to a letter from a grieving father with the encouragement that “death never has the last word.”

In the October issue of Piazza San Pietro magazine, the pontiff penned a letter to Francesco, a father of four, who wrote to the Holy Father about the death of his 12-year-old son, Domenico Maria, from a sudden illness 18 years ago.

Despite the time that has passed, the father said he still felt like his son’s premature death happened only yesterday. 

“Holiness, this letter of mine is intended only as a thought, as well as a remembrance for our son, so that God, in his infinite goodness and mercy as a Father, may welcome him into the kingdom of heaven,” Francesco wrote.

In his response, Leo reminded the father that “the important thing is to always remain connected to the Lord, going through the greatest pain with the help of his grace, which always comes — be sure of that — even in the darkest moments.”

The pope also recalled the light of the love of God, who walks with us throughout our life, starting at our baptism.

“All this begins with our baptism and will never end,” he said. “Baptism introduces us into communion with Christ and gives us true life, committing us to renounce a culture of death that is very present in our society.”

“But 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,” the pontiff added.

In his letter, Francesco described his son’s love of soccer and the community of friends he found through playing the sport.

Pope Leo said “authentic prayer, like authentic sport, practiced together, creates bonds and unites forever, as it united Domenico Maria with all those on his ‘team’ of true friendship, with bonds that go far beyond death.”