By Devin Watkins

Pope Leo XIV held a special Jubilee Audience in St. Peter’s Square on Saturday, as thousands of catechists attend the Jubilee of Catechists on September 26-28.

In his catechesis, the Pope reflected at length on the sensus fidei, which he said is like a “sixth sense of simple people for the things of God.”

“God is simple and reveals Himself to the simple,” he said. “For this reason, there is an infallibility of the People of God in believing, of which the infallibility of the Pope is an expression and a service.”

Pope Leo turned to the 4th century St. Ambrose, who was serving as governor of the city of Milan during a time of great conflict in the Church.

As a civil authority, he intervened at a crucial point in the election of a new Bishop of Milan, employing his great ability for listening and mediation to bring calm among the faithful.

Tradition recounts that a child cried out “Ambrose bishop!” and the whole people joined him in acclamation.

“Ambrose was not even baptized; he was only a catechumen, that is, preparing for Baptism,” he said. “Yet the people perceived something profound in this man and elected him. Thus the Church had one of its greatest bishops, and a Doctor of the Church.”

Ambrose, said Pope Leo, at first refused and even fled the city, before understanding that this was a call from God, thus allowing himself to be baptized and ordained bishop.

The Pope marvelled at the great gift that “the little ones” gave to the Church.

“Even today this is a grace to ask for: to become Christians while living out the vocation we have received!” he said.

As parents, entrepreneurs, workers, teachers, priests, or religious, every person is called to be a Christian through their chosen path, noted the Pope, adding that people can “sense” whether we are truly becoming Christians or not.

After accepting his vocation, St. Ambrose lifted up the faith of his people, even creating new ways of singing psalms and hymns, of celebrating the liturgy and preaching.

St. Ambrose’s preaching even converted St. Augustine, who himself became a bishop and Doctor of the Church.

“He himself knew how to perceive, and in this way hope multiplied,” he said. “To perceive, to intuit, is a way of hoping—let us not forget this!”

In conclusion, Pope Leo XIV said God moves His Church forward and shows her new paths through the sensus fidei, the faith of the people of God.

“To perceive, to intuit, is the instinct of the little ones for the Kingdom that is coming,” he said. “May the Jubilee help us to become little ones according to the Gospel, so as to perceive and serve God’s dreams!”