Leo XIV, the first North American pope in the Catholic Church’s 2,000-year history, delivered his first private homily with the College of Cardinals on Friday, one day after his groundbreaking election.
The new pontiff celebrated the private Mass — broadcast live from the Vatican — in the Sistine Chapel alongside more than 130 cardinals who had participated in the conclave that elected him. All were dressed in white, symbolizing unity, fraternity, and spiritual solidarity, according to church observers.
Pope Leo XIV addressed the assembly in Italian, Latin, and English. In his multilingual homily, he called on the cardinals to join him in guiding the Church forward:
“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.
Leo XIV acknowledged the challenges facing the Church in a world often driven by technology, wealth, power, and pleasure — values that he said can overshadow faith.
“Our missionary outreach is desperately needed,” he emphasized, calling for renewed evangelization in places where belief is dwindling.
The pope also lamented that Christianity is often dismissed in modern society.
“For many, the Christian faith is considered absurd, meant for the weak and unintelligent,” he said, urging the Church to shine light in what he described as “the dark nights of this world.”
