Nuncio Calls Catholics to Be the Church's Living Stones
He prayed at Archbishop John Carroll's tomb and conveyed the pope's thanks for U.S. Catholics' prayers during his recovery from lung cancer surgery.
Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, celebrated morning Mass on Sunday, October 25, 2026, at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Baltimore, Maryland. It marked his first visit to America’s first Catholic cathedral.
He served as principal celebrant and was joined by Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, Auxiliary Bishop Adam J. Parker of Baltimore, Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus Denis J. Madden of Baltimore, and several priests.
Living Stones and the Coin of Love
In his homily for the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, drawing on the readings from Exodus, 1 Thessalonians, and the Gospel of Matthew on the commandments to love God and neighbor, Archbishop Caccia said: “We are the living stones of the Church.” He continued, “You are the living stones,” and “The Lord doesn’t need bricks only. He needs witnesses.”
“The coin of love has always two sides: love of God and love of your neighbor — and it’s only one coin,” the nuncio said. He also referenced an Italian priest who summarized Christianity as “Love.”
Roots of the Church in America
After Mass, Archbishop Caccia visited the basilica crypt, prayed at the tomb of Archbishop John Carroll, and laid a wreath, joined by the Baltimore prelates.
The basilica, designed by Benjamin Henry Latrobe and dedicated in 1821, is the site of the nation’s first Catholic diocese, established in 1789 when Pope Pius VI appointed Archbishop John Carroll as the first bishop of the United States.
In an interview, the nuncio described the visit as providing “a special connection with the beginning of the presence of the Catholic Church in this country.” He conveyed Pope Leo XIV’s gratitude for prayers during his recovery from recent lung cancer surgery, noting messages of support from U.S. Catholics “especially because it’s also his own country.”
Before Mass, basilica rector Father Brendan Fitzgerald briefed Archbishop Caccia on the Source of All Hope ministry for the homeless. Missionary Erin Kelter said the message resonated as “a reminder that it is always a blessing.”
Archbishop Lori noted that the nuncio’s motto, Credidimus Caritati (“We have believed in the love God has for us”), echoed the homily theme. Bishop Parker called the message “exactly what we need to hear and we need to live” and said Archbishop Lori invited the nuncio as “a gesture of pastoral solicitude.”
Archbishop Caccia entered the Holy See’s diplomatic service in 1991. He previously served as nuncio to Lebanon and the Philippines and as permanent observer to the United Nations, appointed in 2019. Pope Leo XIV named him nuncio to the United States on March 7, 2026, nearly eight months before the visit. The Mass took place as the United States approaches its 250th anniversary.