Pope Leo XIV offered a personal glimpse into his spiritual life during a private audience with a Spanish missionary priest from Extremadura: “I say the prayer of John XXIII: ‘Lord, I’m going to sleep. The Church is yours; you take care of it.’ And I sleep.”
As read in Álex Navajas’ article for El Debate, the exchange took place on January 26 at the Vatican, during the ad limina visit of Peru’s bishops. Among those present was Father César Luis Caro, a priest from Mérida (Spain) who has spent the past 11 years serving as a missionary in Peru.
Caro was there in place of his bishop, Javier Travieso, who had been granted an audience but could not travel to Rome. In a testimony later published on his blog and reported by the weekly newspaper of the Archdiocese of Mérida-Badajoz, the priest described what followed as a once-in-a-lifetime meeting.
The audience began with a small cultural mismatch. An official pointed out that Fr. Caro was not wearing a cassock. The missionary explained that in the Amazon, the heat makes that uncommon. The tension quickly eased, and soon he was ushered in to meet the Pope.
Caro brought a gift from the Amazon: a small river dolphin carved in palisangre wood. Then the conversation turned serious. He spoke about the life of the Vicariate of San José del Amazonas and the hardships facing the region, which the Pope knows well: illegal economies, deforestation, extreme poverty, human rights abuses, the spread of dredging operations, a shortage of missionaries, fragile finances, and huge distances between communities.
According to Caro, Leo XIV listened closely, speaking little and asking thoughtful questions. The priest described him as “discreet, silent, prudent, expert in listening,” with a “clear, calm, perceptive” gaze. He also recalled moments of warmth, including a smile and even a quiet “My goodness” in response to one part of the conversation.
Then came the question Fr. Caro almost forgot to ask: How are you?
The Pope answered with calm and simplicity. He said he is at peace, and explained that he often turns to the prayer associated with St. John XXIII, entrusting the Church to God before going to sleep. It was a brief answer, but one that revealed a great deal about his inner life and his way of carrying responsibility.
The remark suggests a pastoral style grounded in trust rather than anxiety, in prayer rather than constant self-assertion. Leo XIV appears as a man who takes the burdens of the Church seriously without acting as though everything depends on him.
The story gained added significance a few days later. On February 4, the Apostolic Nunciature in Peru announced that Pope Leo XIV had appointed Father César Caro apostolic administrator of the Vicariate of San José del Amazonas, after accepting the resignation of Bishop Travieso.
That makes the Vatican meeting the beginning of a new chapter in the life of a missionary priest — and as a rare window into how this Pope faces the weight of his office: with attention, composure, and deep confidence in God.
