On Sunday, July 6, 2025, as he led the Angelus in Saint Peter’s Square, Pope Leo XIV used a new and striking phrase that can surely make many people stop and think.

The Church and the world do not need people who fulfill their religious duties as if the faith were merely an external label… Perhaps there is no shortage of “intermittent Christians” who occasionally act upon some religious feeling or participate in sporadic events. But there are few who are ready, on a daily basis, to labor in God’s harvest, cultivating the seed of the Gospel in their own hearts in order then to share it in their families, places of work or study, their social contexts and with those in need.

Leo XIV. (2025, July 6). Angelus

He spoke about what he called “Intermittent Christians.” In just those two words, he described a problem we have seen for a long time in the Catholic Church. Finally, we have a more official name for people we often call lapsed Catholics, cafeteria Catholics, cultural Catholics, uninformed or uncatechized Catholics, and those who do not really practice their faith.

Pope Leo XIV, who was only elected this past May 8, is already showing that he is very different from Pope Francis. Pope Francis was a bit more modern in his way of speaking and often careful not to offend. He would not likely have dared to call lapsed Catholics “Intermittent Christians.” But Pope Leo has chosen to speak very clearly. He probably used these words to remind Catholics that faith is something serious and life changing, not something we practice only when it is convenient or when we feel emotional.

The Pope explained that the Church and the world do not need people who just perform religious duties as if faith were only an external label. He said there are many people who sometimes act on religious feelings or show up for certain events but who are not ready to live their faith every day. These are the people he calls Intermittent Christians.

When we look around us, we know this is true. Many people say they are Catholic, but they rarely go to Mass, do not go to Confession, and know little about what the Church actually teaches. They might show up at church for Christmas or Easter or for weddings and funerals, but they live the rest of their lives with little thought about God and His Church. They are often missing out on the great spiritual gifts that come from living the faith seriously.

Pope Leo XIV’s words remind us that faith is not only about belonging to a group or following rules. It is about a living relationship with Jesus Christ. It is through the sacraments, prayer, and learning the faith that we discover the joy, peace, and freedom that God wants for us. People who live as Intermittent Catholics are not just neglecting obligations. They are missing out on the grace and help God wants to give them.

The Pope’s message, though, was not just about diagnosing a problem. It was also a call for action. He spoke with great hope about the harvest that is waiting in the world. He said the harvest is plentiful, but there are few laborers. He wants all Catholics to become workers in the vineyard of the Lord. He does not mean only priests and nuns. He means each of us, in our families, workplaces, schools, and neighborhoods.

We do not need to invent new plans or programs before we begin this work. Pope Leo XIV said what we need most is prayer and a deep relationship with God. When we pray and open our hearts to the Lord, he changes us and sends us out to share his love and truth with others. This is how we stop being Intermittent Christians and become true disciples.

Pope Leo ended his message by asking Mary, the Blessed Virgin, to help us say yes to God as she did. Mary gave her whole life to God without holding back. She shows us how to live our faith every day, not just once in a while.

May we listen to this new pope’s call and choose to be faithful Catholics, not just in name, but in how we live each day. For the Lord truly wants to make us joyful laborers in his harvest.