Pope Leo XIV held his first work meeting on Saturday, May 10th, in the Synod Hall, where he met with both electing and non-electing cardinals present in Rome.
During this assembly, the Pope outlined part of his priorities, emphasizing that they align with the teachings of the Second Vatican Council and the apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium by Pope Francis. In this document, the Argentinian Pope had identified several areas he believed the Church had to address. Pope Leo XIV highlighted some of these topics, calling to mind their importance.
“The return to the primacy of Christ in preaching; the missionary conversion of the entire Christian community; growth in collegiality and synodality; attention to the sensus fidei, especially in its more proper and inclusive forms, such as popular piety; the loving care of the weak and discarded; brave and trusting dialogue with the contemporary world in its various components and realities.”
The Pope also revealed to the cardinals why he chose the name "Leo." He explained that it was inspired by Pope Leo XIII, the Pope that faced the dehumanization caused by the Industrial Revolution in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
“He tackled the social question in the context of the first great industrial revolution, and today the Church offers to all its social doctrine heritage to respond to another industrial revolution and the development of artificial intelligence, which present new challenges for defending human dignity, justice, and work.”
While Leo XIV mentioned that there were many other reasons behind his choice, he did not clarify whether "Leo" was chosen in reference to St. Francis’ first disciple.
What became quite clear after the meeting, however, was that Pope Leo XIV seeks to continue the pre-conclave meetings, in order to encourage ongoing reflection within the College of Cardinals.
JRB
Trans. CRT
