Editors’ note: Each man elected pope brings a particular perspective in the exercise of his ministry. Yet there is an ever-evolving continuity as each successive pontiff builds on the stones laid by his predecessors. In his first weeks as pope, Leo XIV has articulated with clarity his vision for the church in a fractured world in need of healing and hope, a vision closely resembling that of Pope Pius XI when he established CNEWA as his vehicle of support to the Eastern churches nearly a century ago.
The 8 May election of U.S. Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as bishop of Rome was a surprise to many. While there may or may not be a confluence of coincidences associated with his election and choice of name, Leo XIV’s succession comes at a pivotal time for humanity, one that resembles the era of Pope Leo XIII, who 134 years ago released his landmark social encyclical, “Rerum Novarum,” or as it is known in English, “On Capital and Labor.”
Human dignity. Theologians consider the encyclical, deeply wedded to Scripture, as the foundation of modern Catholic social teaching and our concept of social justice. In his encyclical, Pope Leo XIII, who led the church from 1878 to 1903, recognized the innate dignity of every human person, affirmed the church’s support for the rights of laborers to fair and safe work and to form trade unions, while opposing socialism and laissez-faire capitalism.
“Let us build a church founded on God’s love, a sign of unity, a missionary church that opens its arms to the world.”
“There are different reasons for [choosing to take the name Leo], but mainly because Pope Leo XIII in his historic encyclical ‘Rerum Novarum’ addressed the social question in the context of the first great Industrial Revolution,” the newly elected pope said in first address to the College of Cardinals on 10 May.
“In our own day, the church offers to everyone the treasury of her social teaching in response to another industrial revolution and to developments in the field of artificial intelligence that pose new challenges for the defense of human dignity, justice and labor.”
He concluded his address quoting Pope Paul VI, expressing his hope that his ministry will “pass over the whole world like a great flame of faith and love kindled in all men and women of good will. May it shed light on paths of mutual cooperation and bless humanity abundantly, now and always, with the very strength of God, without whose help nothing is valid, nothing is holy.”
The ultimate bridge-builder. How the new pontiff will guide the barque of Peter as his successor as vicar of Christ — serving de facto as the world’s leading moral voice — dominates much of the international media. Yet it is clear, from his address to the cardinals cited above and in his first public words as pope spoken from the central balcony of St. Peter’s, that he intends to continue to build bridges, to be open to dialogue and encounter and to work toward justice and peace for all people.
“We must seek together how to be a missionary church,” said Pope Leo XIV, “a church that builds bridges, dialogue, always open to receive, like this square, with arms open to everyone, everyone who needs our charity, our presence, our dialogue, our love.”
In his address to the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See, he said, “In our dialogue, I would like us always to preserve the sense of being a family. Indeed, the diplomatic community represents the entire family of peoples, a family that shares the joys and sorrows of life and the human and spiritual values that give it meaning and direction.
“Papal diplomacy is an expression of the very catholicity of the church. In its diplomatic activity, the Holy See is inspired by a pastoral outreach that leads it not to seek privileges but to strengthen its evangelical mission at the service of humanity.
“Resisting all forms of indifference, it appeals to consciences, as witnessed by the constant efforts of my venerable predecessor, ever attentive to the cry of the poor, the needy and the marginalized, as well as to contemporary challenges, ranging from the protection of creation to artificial intelligence. …
“Peace is first and foremost a gift. It is the first gift of Christ.”
“In our dialogue, I would like us to keep in mind three essential words … The first word is peace. All too often we consider it a ‘negative’ word, 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. …
“From a Christian perspective — but also in other religious traditions — peace is first and foremost a gift. It is the first gift of Christ: ‘My peace I give to you’ (Jn 14:27). Yet it is an active and demanding gift. It engages and challenges each of us, regardless of our cultural background or religious affiliation, demanding … we work on ourselves. Peace is built in the heart and from the heart, by eliminating pride and vindictiveness and carefully choosing our words. For words too, not only weapons, can wound and even kill. …
“The second word is justice. Working for peace requires acting justly. As I have already mentioned, I chose my name thinking first of all of Leo XIII, the pope of the first great social encyclical, ‘Rerum Novarum.’ In this time of epochal change, 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. …
“The third word is truth. Truly peaceful relationships cannot be built, also within the international community, apart from truth. Where words take on ambiguous and ambivalent connotations, 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.
“For her part, the church can never be exempted from speaking the truth about humanity and the world, resorting whenever necessary to blunt language that may initially create misunderstanding. Yet truth can never be separated from charity, which always has at its root a concern for the life and well-being of every man and woman.”
“Let us walk toward God and love one another.”
Finding unity in diversity. The effectiveness of Leo’s exercise of the Petrine Ministry, and of the witness of the Catholic Church to be instruments of peace, justice and truth, is, as the new pope sees it, tied to the church’s unity.
“I was chosen, without any merit of my own, and now, with fear and trembling, I come to you as a brother, who desires to be the servant of your faith and your joy, walking with you on the path of God’s love, for he wants us all to be united in one family,” the Chicago-area native said in his homily inaugurating his pontificate.
“Love and unity: These are the two dimensions of the mission entrusted to Peter by Jesus. … when Jesus asks Peter, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?’ (Jn 21:16), he is referring to the love of the Father. It is as if Jesus said to him, ‘Only if you have known and experienced this love of God, which never fails, will you be able to feed my lambs. Only in the love of God the Father will you be able to love your brothers and sisters with that same ‘more,’ that is, by offering your life for your brothers and sisters.’
“Peter is thus entrusted with the task of ‘loving more,’ and giving his life for the flock. The ministry of Peter is distinguished precisely by this self-sacrificing love, because the Church of Rome presides in charity and its true authority is the charity of Christ. It is never a question of capturing others by force, by religious propaganda or by means of power. Instead, it is always and only a question of loving as Jesus did. …
“Brothers and sisters, I would like that our first great desire be for a united church, a sign of unity and communion, which becomes a leaven for a reconciled world.
“In this our time, we still see too much discord, too many wounds caused by hatred, violence, prejudice, the fear of difference, and an economic paradigm that exploits the Earth’s resources and marginalizes the poorest. For our part, we want to be a small leaven of unity, communion and fraternity within the world. We want to say to the world, with humility and joy: Look to Christ! Come closer to him! Welcome his word that enlightens and consoles! Listen to his offer of love and become his one family: In the one Christ, we are one.
“This is the path to follow together, among ourselves, but also with our sister Christian churches, with those who follow other religious paths, with those who are searching for God, with all women and men of good will, in order to build a new world where peace reigns!
“This is the missionary spirit that must animate us; not closing ourselves off in our small groups, nor feeling superior to the world. We are called to offer God’s love to everyone, in order to achieve that unity that does not cancel out differences but values the personal history of each person and the social and religious culture of every people. …
“With the light and the strength of the Holy Spirit, let us build a church founded on God’s love, a sign of unity, a missionary church that opens its arms to the world, proclaims the Word, allows itself to be made ‘restless’ by history, and becomes a leaven of harmony for humanity.
“Together, as one people, as brothers and sisters, let us walk toward God and love one another.”