Guided by St Augustine, Pope Leo XIV Embarks on His Papal Journey, writes Br Peter
- maristbrothers
- May 22
- 3 min read
Updated: May 23
Last Sunday Pope Leo XIV received the symbols of his Petrine ministry, pallium and the fisherman’s ring, and officially began his papacy.
The outdoor Mass of Inauguration was full of Vatican colour and pageantry and attended by Church prelates, foreign dignitaries and tens of thousands of the Faithful. It was viewed online by millions.
In the first words of his homily, he quoted his spiritual father, St Augustine, reminding us of the quest for the divine that is planted in the human soul. He quoted St Augustine again, later in his homily.
"The quest for the divine that is planted in the human soul."
He referred to the task of the Pope as being a “shepherd capable of preserving the rich heritage of the Christian faith and, at the same time, looking to the future, in order to confront the questions, concerns and challenges of today’s world”.
Describing his election by the College of Cardinals, he spoke humbly: “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”.
“I was chosen, without any merit of my own, and now, with fear and trembling, I come to you as a brother."
He then took up his twin themes, love and unity. These are not just applicable to the Church, but to the world: a reconciled world based on enduring values that lift people up, not oppress them. In this context, and referring to the Gospel text, he explains the Petrine ministry:
“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”.
"It is always and only a question of loving as Jesus did."
Pope Leo clearly expressed his intent to continue in the spirit of Pope Francis. He spoke of familiar themes:
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!
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 which does not cancel out differences.
Pic Courtesy: Vatican Media
His final exhortation summarised his hopes for the years ahead:
"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 towards God and love one another."
Let us build a Church founded on God’s love, a sign of unity, a missionary Church that opens its arms to the world.
Let us continue to pray for Pope Leo as he takes up the challenges of leading our Church into the future.
Br Peter Carroll, SoTS Provincial
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