Peace Be with You!

My Words to the Church and to the World

By: Pope Leo XIV

Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini

Audiobook read by Voice Arts Award-winning narrator Edoardo Ballerini. The first American Pope’s words for the world reveal themes to his leadership: peace, hope, and unity.

"I would like this greeting of peace to resound in your hearts, in your families, among all people, wherever they may be, in every nation and throughout the world. Peace be with you!"

With his first public appearance before the world, Pope Leo XIV expressed hope for an “unarmed and disarming” peace. Collected in this beautiful edition are the sermons and speeches Pope Leo XIV has delivered since his May 8, 2025, election, including:

• his First Apostolic blessing, delivered to the Central Loggia of the Vatican Basilica
• “Called to Be a Light of Hope,” his video message to the young people of Chicago and the whole world
• “The compass of natural law,” his Address to Members of the International Inter-Parliamentary Union
• a special preface addressing U.S. readers
• and more.

These first addresses convey some of Pope Leo XIV’s vision for the future: the primacy of God, communion in the Church, and the pursuit of peace. His countless calls for reconciliation are addressed not only to politics, but to the heart of every person: “Peace begins with each of us: from the way we look at others, listen to others, speak about others.” He shows us that unity is possible, and it begins in our hearts.

In his own words, Pope Leo XIV welcomes us all into communion and calls us to act to protect our shared humanity and our precious home.

Frustrated by the reader

The voice of the reader can make or break an audio book. In this case, the book was read with an aristocratic, old English cadence unlike how Pope Leo speaks. When the author cites passages he uses a perfectly fine, normal voice; why not just use this throughout? Your job is to just read the text clearly, not try out for the Shakespearean play.
Also, Pope Leo would use the traditional church pronunciation of St Augustine as Ah-GUST-in not like how the city in Florida is pronounced (Ah-gust-TEEN). St Augustine is referenced dozens of times. Yikes!