Key words for the path to follow together
“A united Church, a sign of unity and communion, which becomes leaven for a reconciled world.”[1] This is “the first great desire”[2] that Pope Leo XIV expressed in his homily at the Eucharistic celebration for the beginning of his Petrine ministry on May 18, in a St. Peter’s Square packed with about 100,000 faithful and in front of 200 international delegations, including royalty, heads of state and religious leaders. This “desire” gives some indication of what the path of this pontificate will be. During his homily, the pope returned to talk about his election, emphasizing two key words, “love” and “unity,”[3] that is, “the two dimensions of the mission entrusted to Peter by Jesus.”[4] He also spoke about his election, highlighting two key words. In a time marked by “too much discord, too many wounds caused by hatred, violence, prejudice, the fear of the different, and an economic paradigm that exploits the Earth’s resources and marginalizes the poorest,” said Leo XIV, “we want to be a small leaven of unity, communion and fraternity within the world.”[5]
Some priorities have already emerged from his first homilies and speeches. These range from strong calls for dialogue and peace, to the need for a new discernment regarding social issues, grappling today with new and unprecedented challenges. This roadmap was already indicated in his address to the College of Cardinals two days after his election: “I would like us,” said Leo XIV, “to renew together today our complete commitment to the path that the universal Church has now followed for decades in the wake of the Second Vatican Council. Pope Francis masterfully and practically set it forth in the Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, from which I would like to highlight several fundamental points: the return to the primacy of Christ in proclamation (cf. No. 11); the missionary conversion of the entire Christian community (cf. No. 9); growth in collegiality and synodality (cf. No. 33); attention to the sensus fidei (cf. Nos. 119-120), especially in its most authentic and inclusive forms, such as popular piety (cf. No. 123); loving care for the least and the rejected (cf. No. 53); courageous and trusting dialogue with the contemporary world in its various components and realities (cf. No. 84; Second Vatican Council, Pastoral Constitution Gaudium et Spes, 1-2).”[6]
Unity and Mission: the two priorities for the Church
Leo XIV’s “first great desire” returns in several speeches and homilies. The latest reference, in chronological order, is the one on the occasion of the meeting with the clergy of the diocese of Rome last June 12. “The first note, that is particularly close to my heart,” the pontiff said, “is that of unity and communion. In the so-called ‘priestly’ prayer, as we know, Jesus asked the Father that his people may be one (cf. John 17:20-23). The Lord knows well that only by being joined to him and united among ourselves can we bear fruit and give credible witness to the world.”[7] Communion today is “hindered by a cultural climate that favors isolation or self-absorption.”[8]
The theme of unity, however, is not the only priority highlighted by the pope. Closely connected to it is mission: “Unity and mission,” Leo XIV stressed, “are two essential aspects of the Church’s life and two priorities of the Petrine ministry. For this reason, I ask all ecclesial associations and movements to cooperate faithfully and generously with the pope, above all in these two areas. First of all, by being a leaven of unity.”[9]
Regarding the urgency of mission, moreover, the pope had already spoken the day after his election, when he said, “Even today, there are many settings in which the Christian faith is considered absurd, meant for the weak and unintelligent. These are settings where other securities are preferred, like technology, money, success, power or pleasure. These are contexts where it is not easy to preach the Gospel and bear witness to its truth, where believers are mocked, opposed, despised or at best tolerated and pitied. Yet, precisely for this reason, they are the places where our missionary outreach is desperately needed. A lack of faith is often tragically accompanied by the loss of meaning in life, the neglect of mercy, appalling violations of human dignity, the crisis of the family and so many other wounds that afflict our society.”[10] This need was reiterated a few days later at the General Assembly of the Pontifical Missionary Societies: “The promotion of apostolic zeal among the People of God,” said Leo XIV, “remains an essential aspect of the Church’s renewal as envisaged by the Second Vatican Council, and it is all the more urgent in our own day. Our world, wounded by war, violence and injustice, needs to hear the Gospel message of God’s love and to experience the reconciling power of Christ’s grace.”[11]
Synodality, a journey to be made ‘together’
Among the few words spoken from the Loggia of Blessings, May 8, 2025, is a strong call to synodality: “We want to be a synodal Church, a Church that moves forward, a Church that always seeks peace, that always seeks charity, that always seeks to be close above all to those who are suffering.”[12] Synodality is a key word on which Pope Leo XIV continues to dwell: “On the evening of my election, moved as I looked out at the people of God gathered here, I spoke of ‘synodality,’ a word that aptly expresses how the Spirit shapes the Church. That word begins with the Greek prefix syn – meaning “with” – which speaks of the secret of God’s life. God is not solitary. God, as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, is a “with” in himself, and God with us. At the same time, the word “synodality” speaks to us of a road ahead – hodós – for where there is the Spirit, there is movement, a journey to be made. We are a people on the move.”[13] This synodality should be valued even in difficulties: “God created the world so that we might all live as one. ‘Synodality’ is the ecclesial name for this. It demands that we each recognize our own poverty and our riches, that we feel part of a greater whole, apart from which everything withers, even the most original and unique of charisms. Think about it. All creation exists solely in the form of coexistence, sometimes dangerous, yet always interconnected (cf. Laudato Si’, 16; 117).”[14]
‘Bridges’ for Peace and Dialogue
Leo XIV’s view of the many world crises emerges powerfully from his earliest speeches, as in his address to the members of the Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice Foundation, a few days after his election, in which he said, “Pope Leo XIII, who lived in an age of momentous and disruptive change, sought to promote peace by encouraging social dialogue between capital and labor, technology and human intelligence, and different political cultures and nations. Pope Francis spoke of a ‘polycrisis’ in describing the dramatic nature of our own age, marked by wars, climate change, growing inequalities, forced and contested migration, stigmatized poverty, disruptive technological innovations, job insecurity and precarious labor rights. On such important issues, the Church’s social doctrine is called on to provide insights that facilitate dialogue between science and conscience, and thus make an essential contribution to better understanding, hope and peace.”[15]
Pope Leo XIV then recalled how in the context of the ongoing digital revolution, “we must rediscover, emphasize and cultivate our duty to train others in critical thinking, countering temptations to the contrary, which can also be found in ecclesial circles. There is so little dialogue around us; shouting often replaces it, not infrequently in the form of fake news and irrational arguments uttered by a few loud voices. Deeper reflection and study are essential, as well as a commitment to encounter and listen to the poor, who are a treasure for the Church and for humanity. Their viewpoints, though often disregarded, are vital if we are to see the world through God’s eyes.”[16]
Moreover, during his audience with the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See last May 16, Leo XIV emphasized three other key words that “represent the pillars of the Church’s missionary activity and the aim of the Holy See’s diplomacy.”[17] The first is peace. “Too often we consider it a ‘negative’ word,” the pope added “indicative only of the absence of war and conflict, since opposition is a perennial part of human nature, frequently leading us to live in a constant ‘state of conflict’ at home, at work and in society. Peace then appears simply as a respite, a pause between one dispute and another, given that, no matter how hard we try, tensions will always be present, a little like embers burning beneath the ashes, ready to ignite at any moment.”[18]
The second word is justice. “In this time of epochal change,” the pontiff said, “the Holy See cannot fail to make its voice heard in the face of the many imbalances and injustices that lead, not least, to unworthy working conditions and increasingly fragmented and conflict-ridden societies. Every effort should be made to overcome the global inequalities – between opulence and destitution – that are carving deep divides between continents, countries and even within individual societies.”[19]
The third key word emphasized by Pope Leo XIV is truth. “One cannot build,” he added, “truly peaceful relations, also within the international community, apart from truth. Where words take on ambiguous and ambivalent meanings, and the virtual world, with its altered perception of reality, takes over unchecked, it is difficult to build authentic relationships, since the objective and real premises of communication are lacking.” [20] In the Christian perspective, the pope continued, “truth is not the affirmation of abstract and disembodied principles, but an encounter with the person of Christ himself, alive in the midst of the community of believers. Truth, then, does not create division, but rather enables us to confront all the more resolutely the challenges of our time, such as migration, the ethical use of artificial intelligence and the protection of our beloved planet, Earth.”[21]
In his address to the representatives of other Churches and ecclesial communities on May 19, Leo XIV returned to talk about “bridges,” an image already recalled in his first speech as pontiff: “Our common path can and must also be understood in the broad sense of involving everyone, in the spirit of human fraternity that I mentioned above. Now is the time for dialogue and building bridges.”[22] A further programmatic cue comes from the pope’s address to the participants in the Jubilee of the Eastern Churches, in which he calls for “looking into each other’s eyes”[23] in order to overcome divisions and build lasting peace: “For my part,” said Leo XIV, “I will make every effort so that this peace may prevail. The Holy See is always ready to help bring enemies together, face to face, to talk to one another, so that peoples everywhere may once more find hope and recover the dignity they deserve, the dignity of peace.”[24]
This peace must also be witnessed and rebuilt with words. Thus, addressing journalists and communication workers last May 12, the pontiff recalled that “one of the most important challenges is to promote a communication capable of bringing us out of the ‘tower of Babel’ in which we sometimes find ourselves, out of the confusion of loveless languages that are often ideological or partisan.”[25] Communication “is not only the transmission of information, but it is the creation of a culture, of human and digital environments that become spaces for dialogue and discussion. In looking at how technology is developing, this mission becomes ever more necessary. I am thinking in particular of artificial intelligence, with its immense potential, which nevertheless requires responsibility and discernment in order to ensure that it can be used for the good of all, so that it can benefit all of humanity. “[26] To the media Leo XIV then addressed the invitation made by Pope Francis in his message for World Communications Day: “let us disarm communication of all prejudice and resentment, fanaticism and even hatred; let us free it from aggression. We do not need loud, forceful communication, but rather communication that is capable of listening and of gathering the voices of the weak who have no voice. Let us disarm words and we will help to disarm the world. Disarmed and disarming communication allows us to share a different view of the world and to act in a manner consistent with our human dignity.”[27]
Rediscovering Tenderness and Grace
In a little over a month of his pontificate, there are many key words uttered by Leo XIV that deserve further study. In this brief journey, we have reviewed only some of the concepts highlighted by the pontiff as urgent and necessary, but we want to conclude with a message of hope. In a world overwhelmed by a “world war in pieces,”[28] Pope Leo XIV calls for rediscovering grace and tenderness. “Pope Francis frequently encouraged us to reflect on the maternal dimension of the Church,” said Leo XIV in the homily during his installation on the Roman Cathedra, “and her defining qualities of tenderness, self-sacrifice and the capacity to listen. Those qualities enable her not only to assist others but often to anticipate their needs and expectations before they are even expressed. We hope that those qualities will be increasingly present in the people of God everywhere, including here, in our great diocesan family: in the faithful, in pastors, and, first of all, in myself.”[29] With St. Paul, however, Leo XIV reminds us that “salvation does not come about by magic, but by a mysterious interplay of grace and faith, of God’s prevenient love and of our trusting and free acceptance.”[30]
Reproduced with permission from La Civilta Cattolica.
[1]. Leo XIV, Homily during the Eucharistic celebration for the beginning of the Petrine ministry of the Bishop of Rome, Papal Chapel, May 18, 2025 (https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/homilies/2025/documents/20250518-inizio-pontificato.html ).
[2]. Ibid.
[3]. Ibid.
[4]. Ibid.
[5]. Ibid.
[6]. Id., Address to the College of Cardinals, May 10, 2025 (https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/speeches/2025/may/documents/20250510-collegio-cardinalizio.html)
[7]. Id., Address to the clergy of the diocese of Rome, Paul VI Hall, June 12, 2025 (https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/speeches/2025/june/documents/20250612-clero-romano.html)
[8]. Ibid.
[9]. Id., Address to moderators of lay associations, ecclesial movements and new communities, Clementine Hall, June 6, 2025 (www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/it/speeches/2025/june/documents/20250606-moderatori.html)
[10]. Id., Homily at the Mass “pro Ecclesia” celebrated with the cardinals, Sistine Chapel, May 9, 2025 (https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/homilies/2025/documents/20250509-messa-cardinali.html)
[11]. Id., Address to the General Assembly of the Pontifical Mission Societies, Clementine Hall, May 22, 2025 (https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/speeches/2025/may/documents/20250522-pom.html)
[12]. Id., Apostolic Blessing “Urbi et Orbi”, St. Peter’s Basilica, May 8, 2025 (https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/messages/urbi/documents/20250508-prima-benedizione-urbietorbi.html)
[13]. Id., Homily at the Vigil of Pentecost with Movements, Associations and New Communities, St. Peter’s Square, June 7, 2025 (https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/homilies/2025/documents/20250607-veglia-pentecoste.html)
[14]. Ibid.
[15]. Id., Address to the members of the “Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice” Foundation, Clementine Hall, May 17, 2025 (https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/speeches/2025/may/documents/20250517-centesimus-annus-pro-pontifice.html)
[16]. Ibid.
[17]. Id., Address at the Audience to the Diplomatic Corps Accredited to the Holy See, Clementine Hall, May 16, 2025 (https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/speeches/2025/may/documents/20250516-corpo-diplomatico.html)
[18]. Ibid.
[19]. Ibid.
[20]. Ibid.
[21]. Ibid.
[22]. Id., Address to Representatives of Other Churches and Ecclesial Communities and Other Religions, Clementine Hall, May 19, 2025 (https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/speeches/2025/may/documents/20250519-altre-religioni.html)
[23]. Id., Address to the participants in the Jubilee of the Oriental Churches, Paul VI Hall, May 14, 2025 (https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/speeches/2025/may/documents/20250514-giubileo-chiese-orientali.html)
[24]. Ibid.
[25]. Id., Address to communication workers, Paul VI Hall, May 12, 2025 (https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/speeches/2025/may/documents/20250512-media.html)
[26]. Ibid.
[27]. Ibid.
[28]. Francis, Address to the United Nations Security Council, June 14, 2023 (https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2023/06/14/0444/00992.html)
[29]. Leo XIV, Homily in the Eucharistic celebration and installation on the “Cathedra Romana”, Basilica of St. John Lateran, May 25, 2025 (https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/homilies/2025/documents/20250525-possesso-cattedra-laterano.html)
[30]. Id., Homily at the Visit to the Tomb of St. Paul, Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, May 20, 2025 (https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/homilies/2025/documents/20250520-visita-sanpaolo.html)
