ReutersThe brand new Pope, Leo XIV, has referred to as for the Catholic Church to “desperately” counter a scarcity of religion in his first mass on the Vatican.
Talking on Friday, the day after he was elected the primary US chief of the Catholic Church, he warned that folks have been turning to “know-how, cash, success, energy, or pleasure” for safety as an alternative of the Church.
Pope Leo additionally referred to as for cardinals to increase missionary outreach.
The ascension of Chicago-born Robert Francis Prevost, 69, has been extensively celebrated by 1.4 billion Catholics internationally, with joyous outbursts particularly in Peru, the place he was stationed for 20 years, and in his US homeland.
In his speech, the brand new pope stated he had been elected to be a “devoted administrator” of the Church and to steer it as a “beacon” to succeed in areas struggling a “lack of religion”.
“A scarcity of religion is usually tragically accompanied by the lack of which means in life, the neglect of mercy, appalling violations of human dignity, the disaster of the household and so many different wounds that afflict our society,” he stated in Italian.
Pope Leo wore a white gown trimmed in gold as he addressed the seated cardinals within the Sistine Chapel tackle broadcast dwell by the Vatican administration.
On Thursday night, Prevost was launched to the world as the brand new Pope Leo XIV to rousing cheers from crowds gathered in St Peter’s Sq..
Showing on the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica, his first phrases to the tens of hundreds of worshippers gathered outlined a imaginative and prescient of a “missionary” Church which “builds bridges, which holds dialogues, which is all the time open”.
He echoed his predecessor, the late Pope Francis, in calling for peace.
“Assist us, and one another, to construct bridges via dialogue, via encounter, to return collectively as one folks, all the time in peace,” he stated.
World leaders have rushed to congratulate Prevost on his election, pledging to work with him on international points. US President Donald Trump referred to as it a “nice honour” to have the primary American pope.
Prevost, who additionally holds Peruvian citizenship, solely grew to become an archbishop after which cardinal in 2023. He was elected chief by his fellow cardinals in simply two days of voting within the secret conclave that passed off two weeks after Francis died.
He’s seen as being aligned with the late Pope, who was considered as a progressive champion of human rights and the poor and celebrated for his charismatic model that sought to make the Catholic Church extra outward-facing.
Vatican watchers have famous that Francis appeared to have introduced Prevost to Rome in recent times, maybe to set him up as a possible successor.
Pope Leo’s upcoming remarks, which embrace Sunday’s noon Regina Coeli prayer and a Monday press convention with journalists, can be intently scrutinised for hints as to which path he intends to steer the Church and what sort of Pope he can be.
