Monsignor Daniel Blanco, Auxiliary Bishop of San José, Costa Rica, presented Pope Leo XIV with a special gift during the general audience held at the Vatican. The offering consisted of Costa Rican coffee and honey, sourced from small-scale and predominantly women-led producers supported by the Catholic Church.
“Coffee and honey were chosen because they are made by producers, and mainly female producers, who are accompanied by the Catholic Church in Costa Rica through the Social Pastoral Ministry of the Archdiocese of San José,” explained Blanco. The coffee was produced in Frailes de Desamparados and the honey in Bijagual de Aserrí.
Blanco emphasized that these efforts reflect principles promoted by the late Pope Francis, particularly through the “Economy of Francis and Clare,” a movement advocating for economic practices grounded in social justice, environmental sustainability, and ethical responsibility.
“These have been processes inspired by the Economy of Francis and Clare, which calls for an economy that prioritizes the common good, financial inclusion, and opportunities for the most vulnerable,” he said.
Monsignor Blanco is currently in Rome to participate in the Jubilee for digital missionaries and Catholic influencers. In his role as coordinator of the Pastoral Communications Center of the Latin American and Caribbean Episcopal Council (CELAM), he supports those who evangelize in the “Digital Continent,” the online world of social media and digital platforms.
“The Holy See asked me to accompany those working in digital evangelization in Latin America,” he noted.
Beyond presenting the gift, Blanco also shared a personal request with the Pope. “I asked him to pray for Costa Rica and told him that we are praying for him,” he recounted. He said Pope Leo XIV, upon hearing about the origin of the gifts, encouraged continued support for small producers and pastoral outreach initiatives.
Since his election in May, following the death of Pope Francis on April 21, Leo XIV has received messages of support from around the world. In Costa Rica, the Episcopal Conference extended an official invitation for the new pope to visit the country. “The invitation was made by the full Conference shortly after his election,” said Blanco.
In a letter sent just days after Leo XIV’s appointment, the Costa Rican bishops expressed admiration for his chosen name. “We are inspired by the pontifical name he has chosen, Leo XIV, full of historical and doctrinal resonance. It reminds us of the pastoral zeal, doctrinal firmness, and love for ecclesial unity shown by his predecessors,” the letter reads.
