St. John Paul II Visits Sacro Cuore

Pope St. John Paul II Visits Sacro Cuore
The Living Memory of Don Bosco

(ANS – Rome – February 19, 2026) – On Sunday, November 29, 1987, the First Sunday of Advent, Pope John Paul II made a pastoral visit to the basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (Sacro Cuore) in the Castro Pretorio neighborhood of Rome. Nearly 40 years later, that visit remains a moment of strong theological and ecclesial significance: a papal rereading of Don Bosco’s Roman foundation in the light of Advent, communion, and mission. On that day, John Paul II placed Sacro Cuore within the broader history of salvation, the vitality of the Salesian charism, and the Church’s urban mission at the heart of Rome.

Advent and the “God of Continual Coming”

Preaching within the Advent liturgy, the Pope reflected on humanity’s longing for God, echoing the Psalmist’s plea: “Visit this vine.” Drawing from Isaiah, he presented God as both Creator, who shapes humanity like clay, and as the One who “goes out to meet” those who practice justice. In a striking phrase, he described the Lord as the “God of continual coming.” Humanity lives in the tension between the already and the not yet: in Christ, God has already entered history, yet the fullness of his coming is still awaited. The Church therefore stands vigilant in history.

This vigilance is not passive. Taking up the Gospel command “Stay awake” (Mark 13:33), John Paul II warned against the “hardness of heart” that leads people to live as if God did not exist. The essential question he posed to the parish was clear: Are we allowing ourselves to be reached by the God who comes?

Sacro Cuore: Don Bosco’s Final Work

From the liturgy, the Pope moved to historical memory. Sacro Cuore, desired by Leo XIII and built through the dedication of Don Bosco in the final years of his life, is more than a parish church. It is now the mother church of the Salesian Society (Salesian world headquarters) and Don Bosco’s last great work.

John Paul II offered a symbolic reading of its architecture. After the unification of Italy, the Church was lengthened—an image of fraternity extended horizontally across space and time. Later, in 1929, former pupils raised the top of the building with the statue of the Redeemer—an image of vertical transcendence and of the Fatherhood of God.

Through the mystery of the Heart of Christ, Sacro Cuore is called to be a “house of brothers” because it is first a “house of the Father.” Its theological center defines its pastoral mission.

Mission at a Crossroads

Situated across the street from Rome’s Termini station, the parish stands at a crossroads of cultures, hopes, and social challenges. Even in 1987, the surrounding area was marked by constant movement, migration, and complexity.

The Pope described the mission as both “sublime and difficult.” The parish was called to serve the Heart of Christ by seeking out the concrete hearts present in its territory. Liturgy, catechesis, youth ministry, and works of charity were not separate initiatives but expressions of a single missionary communion, in harmony with the diocesan vision of a “communion and missionary community.”

He encouraged parish groups not to be passive but courageous and creative in rebuilding the social fabric with deeply human and Christian motivations.

Fidelity to Don Bosco’s Charism

Particular attention was given to the proximity of Termini station, described as a “magnet” for social difficulties but also for opportunities for good. No parish could respond alone, the Pope acknowledged, and he praised the collaboration with diocesan and civil institutions.

Among the initiatives highlighted were the Don Bosco reception center for young foreigners, assistance for marginalized persons, neighborhood committees, pastoral care for migrant communities, and the constant and steady ministry of confession.

In these concrete works, John Paul II recognized the living continuity of Don Bosco’s charism. Openness to migrants, youths in transit, and the poor was not an adaptation to circumstances but fidelity to Salesian identity. Sacro Cuore thus embodied the vision of a parish as a “communion of communities.”

Marian Horizon and Ecclesial Responsibility

The visit took place during the Marian Year (1987–1988), proclaimed in preparation for the Great Jubilee of 2000. The Pope entrusted the parish to Mary, invoked as Alma Redemptoris Mater, encouraging the faithful to follow her path of faith in order to remain close to Christ, who continually comes to meet humanity.

Nearly 4 decades later, the 1987 visit stands not as a nostalgic memory but as a pastoral program. John Paul II reread Don Bosco’s Roman foundation as a theological sign: the Heart of Christ beating at the center of a restless city.

The Advent call still resounds: “Stay awake.” Do not let the heart grow hard. Allow yourselves to be reached by the God who continually comes. Sacro Cuore remains a living sign—lengthened in fraternity, raised toward transcendence, and rooted in the Heart that seeks every human heart.