In his first Mass as the leader of the Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV called on the faithful to “bear witness to our joyful faith in Jesus the Savior” in a world where “a lack of faith is often tragically accompanied by the loss of meaning in life,” according to Vatican Media. The historic Mass took place on May 9 in the Sistine Chapel, the same sacred space where the cardinals had elected the Chicago native just days before.
Pope Leo XIV, the first American-born pontiff, opened his homily in English, addressing the cardinal electors who gathered to celebrate with him. “My brother cardinals, as we celebrate this morning, I invite you to recognize the marvels that the Lord has done, the blessings that the Lord continues to pour out on all of us through the ministry of Peter,” he said, speaking spontaneously. The new pope expressed both humility and determination, acknowledging the weight of his new mission while reaffirming his commitment to lead the Church forward. “You have called me to carry that cross and to be blessed with that mission, and I know I can rely on each and every one of you to walk with me, as we continue as a Church, as a community of friends of Jesus, as believers to announce the good news, to announce the Gospel,” he said.
Switching to Italian, Pope Leo XIV continued his homily by reflecting on the Gospel question Jesus posed to Peter: “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” (Matthew 16:13). The pontiff emphasized the world’s often hostile response to Jesus and His teachings, saying, “Even today, there are many settings in which the Christian faith is considered absurd, meant for the weak and unintelligent. Settings where other securities are preferred, like technology, money, success, power, or pleasure.” According to Pope Leo XIV, these are the very contexts in which the Church’s missionary outreach is “desperately needed.”
The new pope also drew from the words of St. Ignatius of Antioch, reflecting on the saint’s journey to martyrdom. “St. Ignatius, who was led in chains to this city, the place of his impending sacrifice, wrote to the Christians there: ‘Then I will truly be a disciple of Jesus Christ, when the world no longer sees my body’ (Letter to the Romans, IV, 1),” the pope said. He connected this theme to his own mission as the successor of Peter, asserting that his role is “to move aside so that Christ may remain, to make oneself small so that He may be known and glorified.”
Pope Leo XIV concluded the liturgy by leading the cardinals in singing the Marian Easter hymn “Regina Caeli,” accompanied by the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel Choir. The Vatican has announced that Pope Leo XIV will be formally installed at a Mass on May 18 and will preside over his first general audience on May 21. He is also set to deliver his first Regina Caeli blessing at noon on Sunday, continuing the mission he has already outlined — a mission of humility, witness, and unwavering faith.
Dear Pope Leo,
Please come down hard on Priests who molest children. My son said he has left the Church because of this issue and I pray he will return. But this issue is something that must be addressed.
Thank you for taking the time to read this.
Blessing,
Donna Loyd-Denham