In his first formal speech to the Roman Catholic Cards, Pope Leo XIV said on Saturday he would continue to lead Pope Francis' work in a more missionary direction with greater cooperation among church leaders and intimacy with marginalized people.
Leo said the church was committed to following the path of modernization that began in the 1960s, citing a major document issued by Francis in 2013. From the document, Leo emphasized multiple purposes, including “growth of communality,” “popular ethos,” and “conservatively, including affection and trust with those who have been rejected.”
“Francis set it up brilliantly and specifically,” Leo said, referring to a document called Evangeli Gaudium.
The new Pope also explained his name choice. The Pope before his name, Leo XIII, published a document called “Leram Novalam,” known in English as “rights and obligations of capital and labor.”
The document “addressed social issues in the context of the first great industrial revolution,” explained Leo.
Now, the Pope adds, another industrial revolution was happening in the field of artificial intelligence. It “substantially presents new challenges for human dignity, justice and the defense of labour,” he said.
The church “responds to that and provides everyone with the Treasury Department of Social Education,” he said.
References to Francis's documents were not the only support the new Pope gave to his predecessor. Leo pointed out Francis was “a humble servant of God and his brothers and sisters,” giving him “an example of perfect dedication to the simplicity of service and calm life.”
The Cardinals appeared to be paying attention to the message about maintaining the directions set by the Pope of Francis.
Upon closing the meeting that Leo spoke, Cardinal Balthazar Enrique Pola Cardozo of Venezuela said that the Pope “talked about the continuity of the bishops of Francis, and then he asked us a few questions.” These questions were “mainly about the formation of priests and bishops,” Cardinal added.
On the way out of the meeting, Ireland's Cardinal Sean Brady said Leo “it's great to say hello to everyone right now.”
Jason Horowitz and Elizabeth Diaz I contributed a report from the Vatican City.
