Feast of the Holy Guardian Angels
Jerusalem, Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, 2 October 2026
Ex 23:20–23; Mt 18:1–5, 10
Dear brothers and sisters,
Dear Mr. Sami, Dear Mr. Johny,
As we mark this moment of transition on the Memorial of the Holy Guardian Angels offers us a theme that can illuminate both our Mass of thanksgiving and the journey that lies ahead: to guard.
In the first reading, the Lord promises his people an angel “to guard you on the way” (Ex 23:20). The people must cross the desert, face difficulties, learn to live together, and learn to trust God. The presence of the angel is a sign that, through all of this, the Lord is accompanying them. God cares for His people and leads them towards the fulfilment of his promise.
Today, we too pause along the journey. We give thanks for the work and service of Mr. Sami El-Yousef as CEO of the Latin Patriarchate, and we entrust to the Lord the new begining with Johny. We bring in this Eucharistic celebration the work of these years, the responsibilities we have shared, the concerns, the achievements, and also all that it demanded of effort and sacrifice—perhaps even things that only the Lord fully knows.
Today’s memorial reminds us, first of all, that those who are entrusted with caring for others also need to be cared for and protected. Anyone who carries responsibility knows the weight of decisions, the distance between needs and possibilities, and the difficulty of finding a way forward when every solution seems inadequate. Knowing that we are accompanied by God allows us to embrace our responsibilities fully, while remaining free to ask for help and to acknowledge our own limitations.
This is a grace we all need, beginning with the Patriarch.
The Gospel then presents us with a very concrete scene. The disciples ask Jesus: “Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” (Mt 18:1). Jesus calls a child and places him in their midst. With this simple gesture, he shifts the focus of their attention. He invites them to look towards someone who needs to be welcomed, accompanied, and protected.
That child placed at the centre also has something to say to the life of our Patriarchate and to the work of its administration.
Every day, numbers, budgets, contracts, requests, and projects pass across our desks. These are necessary matters that require competence and rigour. But behind all of them are people. A line in a budget can mean that a young person is able to continue his or her studies. A salary paid can mean security for a family. A well-maintained building can allow a community to come together. Assistance that arrives in time can give someone the strength to keep going.
Jesus’ gesture therefore places a very simple question before us: Whom are we placing at the centre of our decisions? Are we still able to see the faces of the people behind the files and procedures we have to deal with?
The answer is found in our daily work: in the care with which an account is checked, in the integrity of a procedure, in listening to a request, and in the patience to explain a decision. It is also found in the courage to say a necessary “no,” taking responsibility for it while respecting the dignity of the person who receives it.
Administering the goods of the Church is part of her mission. The resources entrusted to us carry with them the sacrifice of those who give them and the hopes of those who need them. Transparency, justice, and competence are concrete ways of honouring this trust. Through them, we also safeguard the credibility of our witness.
Dear Sami, today we want to express our gratitude to you within this horizon.
Thank you for placing your abilities, your time, and your energy at the service of our Church. Thank you for sharing the weight of a responsibility that touches so many aspects of the life of the Patriarchate and so many people, often far removed from the offices where decisions are made.
The years of your service have coincided with profound trials for this land and for our communities. In such difficult times, administrative work too is affected by unforeseen emergencies and by questions that are not easy to answer—COVID and war, among many others. Today, we want to acknowledge the dedication that this responsibility has required, the perseverance demanded by ordinary days, and the availability called for by extraordinary ones.
As Patriarch, and on behalf of our Church, I express my sincere gratitude to you. We entrust to the Lord the good that has been accomplished, praying that it may continue to bear fruit in the lives of many people. And we ask the Lord to grant you serenity and joy in the new chapter that now opens before you. The bonds built through service are part of the life of this Church and remain a source of gratitude.
Dear Johnny, today we welcome you as you take on this new responsibility.
You receive work that is already underway, the experience of those who have gone before you, and the collaboration of many people. You also receive questions that remain open and challenges that will require discernment, patience, and courage. We accompany you with confidence, so that you may bring your abilities and your own understanding to this responsibility.
The wish I would like to offer you comes once again from the Gospel: preserve the freedom to allow yourself to be challenged by that child whom Jesus places at the centre. There will be many urgent matters, and some will inevitably demand more attention than others. But take care also of the needs that are less visible, of those who struggle to make themselves heard, and of those who do not know which door to knock on.
And take care of your relationships with the people with whom you will work with. An administration depends on the trust that is built within it, on clarity about responsibilities, and on the ability to speak to one another with honesty and respect. Therefore, as we entrust this responsibility to you, we also commit ourselves to accompanying you. You can count on our cooperation, our willingness to listen, and our prayers.
This transition concerns all of us. I would also like to thank all those who work each day in the offices and in the various services of the Patriarchate. The faithfulness of each person makes the work of others possible. In this way, much good is accomplished through patient collaboration, often without much visibility.
At the end of the Gospel, Jesus tells us that the angels of the little ones are always in the presence of the Father. The life of each of these little ones is precious in the sight of God. This is the gaze we are called to have: seeing the value of every person entrusted to us, even if for only a while.
Today, we entrust one part of our journey to the Lord and place a new one in his hands. The Eucharist gathers our gratitude and renews our willingness to serve.
May the Lord watch over you, Sami, and you, Johny. May he watch over your families and all those who work with us. And through the ministry of his holy angels, may he teach us also to care for one another, so that through the daily work of our hands, his faithfulness may be made manifest to others.
Amen.
