Calling for a Church that “walks towards God and loves one another,” Pope Leo XIV formally began his ministry as pope on Sunday with a call to reject hatred, protect the Earth, and uplift the poor.
“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 said in his homily during the Mass of Inauguration at St. Peter’s Square.
The newly elected pope, formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, presided over the celebration before more than 100,000 pilgrims, officially beginning his ministry as the 267th successor of Saint Peter.
Reflecting on the days following Pope Francis’ death, he recalled the Church’s collective grief. “Following the death of Pope Francis, we felt like sheep without a shepherd,” Pope Leo said.
“Yet having received his final blessing on Easter Sunday, and with eyes of faith, hope, and joy, we remembered how the Lord never abandons His people,” he added.
He thanked the faithful for their prayers during the conclave and described the experience of discernment among cardinals as one moved by harmony and grace.
“We felt the working of the Holy Spirit, who was able to bring us into harmony, like musical instruments, so that our heartstrings could vibrate in a single melody,” he said.
Pope Leo, a former missionary in Peru, grounded his vision for the Church in unity, service, and love. “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,” he said.
He emphasized the Church’s mission to extend God’s love to all, fostering unity that embraces individual identities and respects diverse cultural and religious backgrounds.
Emphasizing that the Church must lead not through power but through charity, he said, “The ministry of Peter is distinguished precisely by this self-sacrificing love… 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.”
The pope encouraged the faithful to avoid isolation and instead embrace the Church’s outward, missionary calling—inviting all to turn to Christ, find hope in his message, and become part of a single, united family of faith.
He concluded with a vision of the Church as “a sign of unity, a missionary Church that opens its arms to the world,” rooted in the love of God and committed to walking with all people of goodwill.
“Together, as one people, as brothers and sisters, let us walk towards God and love one another,” he said.
