León XIV, questioned by a six-year-old in Barcelona: 'I never wanted to be Pope, but when the Lord calls, you say yes'
During a visit to a parish in Barcelona's Raval district, Pope León XIV responded to a letter from Renzo, a six-year-old boy, addressing questions about suffering, the loneliness of the elderly, and his own path to the papacy.
Pope León XIV made a discreet but symbolically charged visit to the church of Sant Agustí in Barcelona's Raval neighbourhood on Wednesday, meeting with representatives from dozens of diocesan charities and social entities. The event was anchored by a deeply personal exchange with Renzo Pons Mendoza, a six-year-old boy from a vulnerable Latin American family who read aloud a letter he had written to the Pontiff.
A child's questions
Renzo's letter mixed personal curiosity with profound social and theological concerns. He asked the Pope if he liked football, if he had wanted to be Pope as a child, and why his father had to work so much. He then moved to harder questions: why bad things happen to some people and not others, why so many people live on the street unseen and unaided, whether God wants there to be rich and poor, why so many grandparents are alone, and whether one must always forgive.
The Pope's response on ageing and solitude
León XIV, an Augustinian who described the parish as feeling like home, called for a fight against the normalisation of loneliness and abandonment among the elderly. He stressed the importance of grandparents in family life, noting they often care for grandchildren while parents work. "Never should they be left alone," the Pope said. "Let us not allow loneliness and abandonment to become normalised in the lives of older adults. That is something very sad." He urged the audience to keep their hearts open to all elderly people, even those who are not their own relatives, and not to permit them to feel alone or unprotected.
Personal revelations
On his own vocation, the Pope admitted he never aspired to the papacy. "Neither as a young man, nor as an old man, did I ever think it," he told Renzo, adding that when the Lord calls, one must say yes. He revealed that his path to priesthood led through the Order of Saint Augustine. On the subject of sport, León XIV noted he currently plays tennis and played American football in his youth, describing it as "a little more violent." During his time as a seminarian in Trujillo, Peru, he played football. "As a defender, if you want to know. I was not a great goalscorer," he clarified.
The event and its attendees
The gathering at Sant Agustí, a parish serving one of Barcelona's most socially challenged districts and a hub for the city's Filipino community, drew around 400 people. Authorities present included Catalan president Salvador Illa, Barcelona mayor Jaume Collboni, and Cardinal Juan José Omella. Representatives from Cáritas, which assisted over 63,000 people in Barcelona in 2025, and other entities working on addiction support and trafficking victims also gave testimonies. The Pope praised their effort and dedication, calling them credible witnesses of Christian hope.
Let us not allow loneliness and abandonment to become normalised in the lives of older adults. That is something very sad.
A moment of tenderness
The exchange, preceded by a video titled 'Abre la carta' produced for the occasion, was described by attendees as one of the most tender and authentic moments of the papal visit to Catalonia. Renzo, born in Buenos Aires and living in Barcelona for three and a half years, later said he had now met the Pope and only needed to meet footballer Lamine Yamal and 'Leo' to complete his dreams.
