Pope Leo XIV calls for peace and unity in a missionary church

Peace be with you!

From the balcony overlooking St. Peter’s Square, Robert Cardinal Prevost, who took on the name of Pope Leo XIV, delivered his inaugural message last May 8.

He sounded a call for peace and unity in a missionary church, echoing his predecessor Pope Francis’ final Urbi et Orbi message as the Bishop of Rome and the Holy Father of a global church before the latter passed away on Easter Monday.

Thirty-two years of his priesthood were devoted to being a missionary in Peru; the rest to being the leader of the Order of St. Augustine. As the new Pope, he spoke fondly of “my beloved diocese of Chiclayo, in Peru, where a faithful people accompanied their bishop, shared their faith and gave so much to continue being a Church that is faithful to Jesus Christ.” It is the fourth most populous region of Peru.

A church worker interviewed by ABC News recalled how he “put on boots and waded through the mud” when torrential rains flooded the Chiclayo region. She also narrated how he “delivered food and blankets to the remote Andean villages, driving a white pickup truck and sleeping on a thin mattress on the floor; (he) ate whatever was offered to him, including the peasant diet consisting of potatoes, cheese and sweet corn.” Moreover, “he has no problem fixing a broken-down truck until it runs.”

Such is the humility and self-effacing character of St. Peter’s 267th successor. Appointed Cardinal only in 2023, Pope Francis named him as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, a powerful position responsible for selecting bishops, and six other dicasteries, as well as the Commission for the Governance of Vatican City State. According to an official post of the College of Cardinals, this was an indication of how much Pope Francis trusted and valued his administrative abilities.

A review of his inaugural message suggests that the underlying theme of his papacy would be Peace and Unity in a Missionary Church: outward-facing, with a mission-driven focus, both locally and globally. Pope Leo XIV is committed to equipping Catholics to live as missionaries wherever they are. He is propagating the fulfillment of the Great Commission by spreading the gospel, making disciples, and actively serving those in need, both through evangelism and practical assistance.The College of Cardinals official backgrounder characterizes the new Supreme Pontiff as a “strong supporter of synodality; a vocal proponent of Pope Francis’ emphasis on making the Church’s structures more inclusive and participatory, seeing synodality as a way to address polarization within the Church.” He views synodality as being synonymous with the need for consultation and lay involvement.

His choice of the name Leo indicates how he intends to govern and what would be the guideposts of his papacy. Pope Leo I, who headed the church from 440 to 461, is “famous for meeting with Attila the Hun and dissuading him from attacking Rome.”The last Pope to use the same name was Leo XIII, who presided over the church for 25 years, from 1878 to 1903. His landmark encyclical, Rerum Novarum, responded to the challenges of the Industrial Revolution. He condemned both unchecked capitalism and socialism, and advocated for a just social order based on Christian principles, such as the dignity of labor, workers’ rights, and the importance of social justice and the common good.

Viva il Papa Leo XIV!