Pope Leo XIV called for rejecting hatred and division in his inaugural mass during which he cited sufferings of the people in war zones including Gaza, Ukraine and Myanmar and articulated his vision for a world where peace reigns.
“In the joy of faith and communion, we cannot forget our brothers and sisters who are suffering because of war,” he noted in his homily.
“In Gaza, the surviving children, families and elderly are reduced to starvation. In Myanmar, new hostilities have cut short innocent young lives. Finally, war-torn Ukraine awaits negotiations for a just and lasting peace.”
Pope Leo is the first American to head the Catholic Church. U.S. Vice President J D Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio were also in attendance at the inaugural mass, where the Pontiff recited the Regina Caeli prayer
Commentators around the world noted that Pope Leo echoed many of the positions on the need for peace, love, diversity, pluralism and justice espoused by his predecessor Pope Francis, who gained worldwide respect for his commitment to the lofty values.
Leo underscored that the Church’s authority must be rooted in charity, not by “religious propaganda or by means of power” and that Church should welcome all.
“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,” he noted.
While emphasizing his vision for a world where “peace reigns,” he noted “this is the missionary spirit that must animate us; not closing ourselves off in our small groups, nor feeling superior to the world.”
Leo also celebrated the “personal history of each person and the social and religious culture of every people.”
His vision included peaceful coexistence, which he underscored by reiterating Leo XIII and asked: if love prevailed, “would not every conflict cease and peace return?”
