Pope Leo XIV greeted the world for the first time from the Central Loggia at St. Peter’s Basilica May 8, nearly one month ago. The days and weeks since our Holy Father’s election as successor of St. Peter have been marked by his calls to embrace the peace only Christ can give.
This peace is inherent in the Church’s treasury of Catholic social teaching. Likewise, this peace enlivens Pope Leo’s call to avoid divisiveness so we may effectively communicate the Gospel message. Finally, this search for Christ’s peace is the reason he shines a light on the importance of Catholic education.
The peace only Christ can give
From his first appearance, Pope Leo XIV greeted the world with a message of peace: “Peace be with you all! These are the first words spoken by the risen Christ, the Good Shepherd who laid down his life for God’s flock. I would like this greeting of peace to resound in your hearts, in your families, among all people, wherever they may be, in every nation and throughout the world.” These words, spoken with the warmth of a loving father, remind us that Christ’s peace is transformative, a “peace that is unarmed and disarming, humble and persevering” because, as Pope Leo says, it is a “peace that comes from God, the God who loves us all, unconditionally.”
Later, in his first Mass with the cardinals, the Holy Father spoke of the inspiration for choosing the name Leo. He explained that his choice was inspired by Pope Leo XIII, a 19th-century pope whose papacy addressed threats to human dignity in the societal upheaval caused by the Industrial Revolution.
The church’s wisdom: Catholic social teaching
“Rerum Novarum” is likely Pope Leo XIII’s best known encyclical for its focus on the particular social challenges of the time and for its timeless reflections on politics, economics, and the dignity and rights of work and workers. “In our own day,” Pope Leo XIV said, “the Church offers to everyone the treasury of her social teaching in response to another industrial revolution and to developments in the field of artificial intelligence that pose new challenges for the defense of human dignity, justice, and labor.”
May Pope Leo XIV take continual inspiration from his namesake and may God inspire him in addressing the challenges of our time.
Effective communication avoids divisiveness, chooses peace
In addressing the media for the first time, Pope Leo’s Augustinian roots were evident again in his focus on unity and peace when he asked all members of the media to avoid needless division and instead to “choose consciously and courageously the path of communication in favor of peace.” The Holy Father encouraged journalists to remember their calling must always be in “service to the truth.” He expressed gratitude that the global coverage of the conclave and his election meant the press was not simply reporting on current events, but at a deeper level was serving to “recount the beauty of Christ’s love that unites and makes us one people, guided by the Good Shepherd.”
A Catholic education that listens, dialogues
Pope Leo has also addressed educators, encouraging those who teach to be mindful of barriers that keep young people apart, disconnected and unable to receive effectively the gifts of education. He spoke of the lack of space in our culture and in our daily lives for “listening, reflection, and dialogue, at school, in the family, and sometimes among peers themselves, with consequent loneliness.”
God is ever pouring out blessings and graces upon his Church, and God has surely blessed us with Pope Leo XIV. In just a short period, our Holy Father has shown a distinctive ability to share the Gospel with clarity and compassion. He shows us the peace only Christ can give, the treasury of the Church’s social teaching. He inspires us to communicate effectively and calls for a Catholic education system that listens with the heart of Christ.
May we heed Pope Leo XIV’s invitation to be a Church united in Christ’s love and, like our Holy Father, build bridges and proclaim the Gospel without fear. With Mary, Mother of the Church, may we pray for our Holy Father, that he may lead us ever closer to her Son, our Savior.
