Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday reaffirmed the Catholic Church’s understanding of the priesthood as a sacred ministry rooted in apostolic succession, while calling for priests to be deeply committed to charity, mission, and service to the faithful.
Speaking during his March 25 general audience in St. Peter’s Square, the Holy Father reflected on the teachings of the Second Vatican Council’s dogmatic constitution Lumen Gentium, emphasizing that the Church is not a human invention but a divine reality established by Christ. He explained that the Church “is founded on the apostles, whom Christ appointed as the living pillars of his mystical body,” according to EWTN News.
The pope underscored that the Church’s hierarchical structure exists not for power, but for unity and mission. He described it as something that “works in the service of the unity, mission, and sanctification of all her members,” highlighting that it is “not merely an organizational structure but an institution of divine origin,” according to EWTN News.
Central to his catechesis was the role of apostolic succession, the unbroken transmission of authority from the apostles to their successors. Pope Leo explained that the apostles were entrusted by Christ with the mission to teach, sanctify, and guide the Church, a mission that continues today through ordained ministers. This continuity, he said, forms the basis of the sacrament of holy orders, which includes the episcopate, the presbyterate, and the diaconate, according to EWTN News.
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The Holy Father also addressed the distinction between the priesthood of the faithful and the ministerial priesthood. He noted that Vatican II teaches that the ministerial priesthood differs “in essence and not only in degree” from the common priesthood, while affirming that both share in the one priesthood of Christ in different ways, according to EWTN News.
Within this framework, Pope Leo reiterated that the ministerial priesthood is reserved to men, pointing to its foundation in Christ’s choice of the apostles. This tradition, he explained, is not based on social considerations but on fidelity to Christ’s example and the Church’s understanding of her mission, according to EWTN News.
At the same time, the pope stressed that priestly authority must always be understood as service. Drawing on the language of the Church, he said this ministry is rightly called “diakonia,” a form of service rooted in love. He recalled the words of St. Paul VI, who described the Church’s hierarchy as a reality “born of the charity of Christ,” entrusted with preserving and passing on the faith, according to EWTN News.
In a related message on vocations, Pope Leo XIV highlighted the spiritual depth of God’s call, describing it as something discovered within the heart through prayer and openness to grace. He emphasized that “every vocation is an immeasurable gift for the Church and for those who receive it with joy,” according to Vatican News.
The pope encouraged all Catholics—families, clergy, and communities—to foster environments where vocations can grow and flourish, rooted in prayer, faith, and accompaniment. He reminded the faithful that responding to God’s call is not a burden but “an adventure of love and happiness,” according to Vatican News.
Concluding his catechesis, Pope Leo urged the faithful to pray for new vocations to the priesthood, asking that the Church be blessed with ministers who are “ardent with evangelical charity” and “courageous missionaries in every part of the world,” according to EWTN News.
In additional remarks, the Holy Father also highlighted the importance of defending human life. Addressing Polish pilgrims, he praised initiatives such as the “spiritual adoption of an unborn child,” encouraging prayers for the protection of life from conception to natural death, especially in a world marked by conflict and instability, according to EWTN News.
Through his words, Pope Leo XIV offered a clear and pastoral vision of the priesthood—one grounded in apostolic tradition, sustained by charity, and directed toward the salvation of souls.
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