reflections, updates and homilies from Deacon Mike Talbot inspired by the following words from my ordination: Receive the Gospel of Christ whose herald you have become. Believe what you read, teach what you believe and practice what you teach...
Fr. Pasolini delivers third Lenten meditation in the Vatican
The Preacher of the Papal Household, Fr. Roberto Pasolini, delivers his third Lenten meditation to the Roman Curia, with Pope Leo in attendance, on "The mission: proclaiming the Gospel to every creature."
By Benedetta Capelli and Deborah Castellano Lubov
"The Gospel is not proclaimed to win, but to encounter."
The Preacher of the Papal Household, Fr. Roberto Pasolini, made this point during his third Lenten Meditation delivered Friday morning in the Vatican's Paul VI Hall on the theme, “The mission: Proclaiming the Gospel to every creature.”
Addressing the Roman Curia with Pope Leo XIV in attendance, the Papal Preacher spoke about preparing the ground for an encounter with Jesus, and how this ties into our relationships with others.
St. Francis of Assisi as a model
“Our authority,” Fr. Pasolini said, “does not come from a role, but from a life that accepts entering into this dynamic of love,” where we are humble, sensitive to others and their needs, and ready to dialogue with them and welcome their gifts.
Throughout the meditation, Fr. Pasolini turned to St. Francis of Assisi as an example and model. "This is what Francis intuited when he called his friars ‘lesser,’ giving them not a title, but a concrete way of being in the world," he said, observing, "It is precisely this smallness, this lived humility, that makes the proclamation of the Gospel fruitful.”
The Gospel takes shape in life
Mission, the fulfillment of conversion and fraternity, is born “from the desire to share with others the experience and proclamation of the Gospel,” but everything comes from the Word.
“One cannot truly speak,” Father Pasolini says, “about what has not yet taken root in one’s own life.”
He stressed that patience is needed to guard what we have seen and heard, to let it mature in prayer, and also warned against the temptation to “use the things of God to seek approval or recognition.”
"What is precious must be protected, allowed to mature, and transformed into witness," he said.
God's presence transforms
The Papal Preacher emphasized that Christ is not information to be transmitted, but a mystery dwelling within humanity that asks to be recognized so that it may emerge in life. He also explained how the Gospel is not communicated as a simple piece of news, but is given as a life that gradually takes form.
Father Pasolini made a comparison to explain how God’s presence in the human heart transforms life and relationships, namely that of the experience of a mother, who first carries the child within her, gives the child time to grow, and only afterward brings it to birth.
"So it is with faith," he suggested. "First Christ takes space within us, in silence, in prayer, in daily choices. Only afterward can He appear outwardly, in gestures and in the way we relate to others.”
Abstract words convince no one
Fr. Pasolini emphasized the need to recognize God’s presence in others and to show respect. To reach others, he suggested, and have dialogue, words must be heartfelt.
"When words remain abstract and impersonal, they convince no one, not even those who speak them," Fr. Pasolini explained, noting this is pertinent to transmitting the Gospel.
The mystery of God
The Papal Preacher reminded that encountering the other means not only giving, but also receiving, and is a free choice of respect and dialogue.
“God did not impose Himself on humanity,” Fr. Pasolini concluded, “but made space for it. He did not jealously guard His greatness; He gave it, so that the other might receive it and live.
Third Lenten meditation delivered in the Vatican (@Vatican Media)
Fr. Pasolini: In a world of wars, fraternity is not an ideal but a responsibility
The Preacher of the Papal Household, Fr. Roberto Pasolini, delivers his second Lenten meditation to the Roman Curia, with Pope Leo in attendance, and reflects on the grace and responsibility of communion, drawing on Saint Francis’s insight that relationships with others are an opportunity to learn the logic of the Gospel.
By Edoardo Giribaldi
The Preacher of the Papal Household, Father Roberto Pasolini, delivered the second of the four Lenten meditations in the Vatican's Paul VI Hall, in the presence of Pope Leo XIV.
The meditations are scheduled every Friday until March 27 and centered on the theme “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation”—the Capuchin friar reflected on “Fraternity – The Grace and Responsibility of Fraternal Communion.”
Fraternity, Fr. Pasolini said, is not an accessory of spiritual life, nor merely a favorable context in which one can grow more easily in grace. !It is the place where conversion truly takes place, the most serious testing ground, and, at the same time, the most eloquent sign of what the Gospel can accomplish in our lives"
The example of the first Franciscan Communities
In his reflection, Fr. Pasolini recalled the life of the early Franciscan communities, which Saint Francis of Assisi wanted to exist without relationships of power or superiority, similar to the first Christian communities. The Papal Preacher suggested these were not spaces “to take refuge in order to live quietly,” but contexts that lead people back “into the depths of their own hearts,” with all their shadows and anxieties.
"Brothers are a gift from the Lord," he said. "But precisely for this reason, they do not simply have the function of helping or supporting us along the journey: they are entrusted to us so that our lives may change."
“The one who comes from the same womb”
Reflecting on the etymological meaning of the word brother—adelphós, literally “the one who comes from the same womb”—the Preacher of the Papal Household observes that brothers do not merely confirm “what we are,” but call us to transformation.
In their diversity, their limitations, and sometimes even in their struggles, Fr. Pasolini suggested, they become the concrete space in which God works on our humanity, loosening our rigidities and teaching us to live with a truer heart, one more capable of love.
Abel and Cain: a “problem of perspective”
One of the stories that best describes these resistances is the “painful relationship” between Abel and Cain. The Capuchin friar went on to suggest that the fracture arises from “a problem of perspective.”
In the Genesis account, the first brother offers the firstborn of his flock, an offering that God “looks upon with favor,” while the second simply presents some fruits of the soil.
The difference, he said, lies not so much in the quality of the offering as in whether what is offered truly represents one’s life.
"For this reason, God does not accept Cain’s gift, not to condemn him, but to provoke him," the Papal Preacher observed.
"Accepting that gesture," he added, "would mean leaving him in the belief that he truly has nothing good to offer. Instead, God seems to want to help him believe that his life too can become a gift."
“Who is Cain within us?”
From this episode, Fr. Pasolini invites listeners to question themselves, asking “who is Cain within us,” calling on us to ask ourselves how much space resentment occupies in each person’s heart.
The bitterness that arises, he recognized, often is fed by our realizing that “we are not alone” and “we are not everything.”
"When we fail to make peace with this reality," he said, "the presence of the other can become unbearable."
The logic of mercy toward those who fail
For Saint Francis, however, Fr. Pasolini reasoned, fraternity was not a problem to be solved but an opportunity to learn the merciful logic of the Gospel toward a neighbor who makes mistakes. A similar dynamic, the Papal Preacher added, can also be found in the brief yet intense Letter to Philemon written by Saint Paul.
"When relationships crack and communion is wounded," Fr. Pasolini noted, "the Gospel does not first suggest defending one’s own rights. Instead, it urges seeking the greatest and always possible good: the good that allows us to recognize in the other no longer an adversary or a debtor, but a brother loved by the Lord."
Welcoming amid wounds, disappointments, and hostility
The Papal Preacher acknowledged that this reality may seem distant from everyday life, but it becomes tangible when relationships are based on “a bond of freedom,” not on sympathy or affinity, but on the fact that God has chosen us and called us to live together in the Church as brothers and sisters.
"Easter has begun to work within us the moment we discover that we can welcome others even when they wound us, disappoint us, or behave like adversaries," Fr. Pasolini marvelled. "Not because we have become stronger or more virtuous, but because something within us has already died and something new has begun to live."
Not losing sight of the horizon
The insight of Saint Francis, Fr. Pasolini continued, is to see conversion arising precisely from what others do to us, even when they hurt us or put us to the test.
This, he observed, greatly broadens our perspective.
Since the struggles of fraternity in daily life can be heavy, the priest admitted, "Precisely for this reason we must never lose sight of the horizon."
"When we lose the perspective of eternal life," he warned, "certain difficulties become completely unacceptable."
Receiving fraternity as gift and responsibility
Faith, Fr. Pasolini highlighted, does not separate but reminds us that “no one can be excluded from our hearts.” Through the Resurrection of Jesus we are freed, not from the effort required by relationships, but from the suspicion that such effort is useless.
"For this reason, during these days of Lent, while the history of the world continues to be marked by divisions, wars, and conflicts," Fr. Pasolini insisted, "we Christians cannot limit ourselves to speaking of fraternity as an ideal to be achieved." "We are called to receive it as a gift, and, at the same time," he urged, "to take it on as a very serious and urgent responsibility."
Pope: A more missionary Curia must bear witness to communion in a divided world
Pope Leo XIV meets his closest collaborators for the exchange of traditional Christmas greetings. The Pope recalls his 'beloved predecessor' Francis and his encouragement to be a Church that is 'welcoming to all,' urging them consider the 'major ecclesial, pastoral, and social challenges' and to become a sign of peace for a world marked by conflict.
By Salvatore Cernuzio
Mission and communion were two of the key themes of Pope Leo's address during the traditional exchange of Christmas greetings of the Roman Curia: mission, so that the work of the Roman Curia may be increasingly directed outward, at the service of the particular Churches, with “institutions, offices, and tasks” designed to face the major ecclesial, pastoral and social challenges, and not merely to ensure ordinary administration;” and communion, by avoiding “rigidity” or “ideology” on issues such as faith, liturgy, and morality, by cultivating authentic relationships, and by becoming a prophetic sign of peace in a world marked by fractures, divisions, and an aggressiveness often fueled by the web and politics.
Remembering Pope Francis
The applause of his closest collaborators accompanied the Pope's entrance into the Hall of Benedictions, a symbolic place connecting the Apostolic Palace with the world through its opening onto the Loggia of Benedictions. Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, delivered his greeting to Pope Leo XIV, who in turn began his address with the memory of his “beloved predecessor, Pope Francis.” With “prophetic voice, pastoral style and rich magisterium,” Francis marked the path of the Church in recent years, “encouraging us above all to place God’s mercy at the center, to give renewed impetus to evangelization, and to be a joyful Church, welcoming to all and attentive to the poorest.”
From the Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii gaudium, Pope Leo drew inspiration to remind the Roman Curia of two fundamental aspects of the Church’s life: mission and communion.
The Pope’s meeting with the Roman Curia for the Christmas greetings (@VATICAN MEDIA)
The missionary nature of the Church
“By her very nature, the Church is outward-looking, turned toward the world, missionary,” the Pope affirmed, as shown by the fact that “God himself first set out toward us and, in Christ, came in search of us.”
“The first great “exodus,” then, is God’s own — his going forth from himself to meet us. The mystery of Christmas proclaims precisely this: the Son’s mission consists in his coming into the world.”
This mission becomes a “criterion of discernment” for the journey of faith, for ecclesial practices, and also for service in the Roman Curia, Leo XIV emphasized: "Structures must not weigh down or slow the progress of the Gospel or hinder the dynamism of evangelization; instead, we must 'make them more mission-oriented'” This spirit must therefore animate curial work, aimed at fostering “pastoral solicitude in service to the particular Churches and their pastors.”
“We need an ever more missionary Roman Curia, in which institutions, offices and tasks are conceived in light of today’s major ecclesial, pastoral and social challenges, and not merely to ensure ordinary administration.”
The specters of division
The mission of the Church is closely linked to communion, the Pope stressed. Communion based on mutual love and reciprocal solidarity is a task that is extremely urgent both internally and externally, he noted. Internally, because “communion in the Church always remains a challenge that calls us to conversion.”
“At times, beneath an apparent calm, forces of division may be at play. We can fall into the temptation of swinging between two opposite extremes: uniformity that fails to value differences, or the exacerbation of differences and viewpoints instead of seeking communion.”
United despite differences
“Thus, in interpersonal relationships, in internal office dynamics, or in addressing questions of faith, liturgy, morality and more besides, there is a risk of falling into rigidity or ideology, with their consequent conflicts,” the Pope warned. Yet “we are brothers and sisters” and, “though many and diverse, we are one: In Illo uno unum", he said, citing the motto chosen for his pontificate.
The invitation to the Curia is therefore to build this communion, which takes shape “in a synodal Church where all cooperate in the same mission, each according to his or her charism and role. This communion is built not so much through words and documents as through concrete gestures and attitudes that ought to appear in our daily lives, including in our work.”
“At times this bitterness finds its way among us as well, when, after many years of service in the Curia, we observe with disappointment that certain dynamics – linked to the exercise of power, the desire to prevail, or the pursuit of personal interests – are slow to change. We then ask ourselves: is it possible to be friends in the Roman Curia? To have relationships of genuine fraternal friendship?”
Being a prophetic sign of peace
“Amid daily toil, it is a grace to find trustworthy friends, where masks fall away, no one is used or sidelined, genuine support is offered, and each person’s worth and competence are respected, preventing resentment and dissatisfaction,” the Pope noted. It is therefore “a personal conversion” that he asks members of the Roman Curia to pursue, so that it may also become a sign outwardly, “in a world wounded by discord, violence and conflict, where we also witness a growth in aggression and anger, often exploited by both the digital sphere and politics.”
“The Lord’s birth brings the gift of peace and invites us to become its prophetic sign in a human and cultural context that is too fragmented.”
Not tending one’s own plot
"The work of the Curia and of the Church in general must also be conceived within this broader horizon," Pope Leo affirmed. “We are not mere gardeners tending our own plot, but disciples and witnesses of the Kingdom of God, called in Christ to be leaven of universal fraternity among different peoples, religions and cultures.
"This happens if we ourselves live as brothers and sisters and allow the light of communion to shine in the world,” the Pope added.
Nicaea and the Council
In closing, the Pope made reference to the Jubilee now nearing its conclusion. The Holy Year has been dedicated to the theme of hope, during which two important events were celebrated: “The Council of Nicaea, which brings us back to the roots of our faith, and the Second Vatican Council, which, by fixing its gaze on Christ, strengthened the Church and sent her forth to engage the modern world, remaining attentive to the joys, hopes, griefs and anxieties of the people of our time.”
To these commemorations, Leo XIV also adds the remembrance of Evangelii nuntiandi, the Apostolic Exhortation of Paul VI on evangelization in the modern world, promulgated fifty years ago on the feast of the Immaculate Conception. The document teaches that “the first means of evangelization is the witness of an authentically Christian life, given over to God in a communion that nothing should destroy and at the same time given to one’s neighbor with limitless zeal.”
“Let us remember this also in our curial service: the work of each is important for the whole, and the witness of a Christian life, expressed in communion, is the first and greatest service we can offer,” Pope Leo said.
“May the Lord bring us his light and grant peace to the world.”
The gift of a book by Brother Lawrence
As is traditional, the Pope gives a book at the end of the audience. From Leo XIV it is The Practice of the Presence of God, the volume by the Carmelite friar Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection, recently published by the Vatican Publishing House, which the Pontiff, on his return flight from Beirut, indicated as the means for understanding his “spirituality” in depth.
Vatican publishes new Regulations of the Roman Curia
Pope Leo XIV approves the publication of new Regulations of the Roman Curia, which implement the reform put in place by the Apostolic Constitution "Praedicate Evangelium."
By Vatican News
The Regulation of the Roman Curia and the Regulation of Personnel of the same institution were published on Monday, 24 November.
They were signed on Sunday, 23 November, by Pope Leo XIV, on the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, commonly known as the Feast of Christ the King.
The Regulation of the Roman Curia applies to the Institutions and Offices that make up the Roman Curia, namely the Secretariat of State, the Dicasteries, the Judicial Bodies, and the Economic Bodies.
The Regulation of Personnel concerns the norms of an organizational, disciplinary, and economic character pertaining to the employment relationship of personnel serving in the Secretariat of State, the Dicasteries, the Bodies and Offices that constitute the Roman Curia, as well as the Institutions connected with the Holy See.
The new Regulations replace those approved by Pope Saint John Paul II on 15 April 1999, which entered into force on 1 July of the same year.
They incorporate and implement the modifications, the innovations, and the indications introduced by the late Pope Francis with the Apostolic Constitution Praedicate Evangelium of 19 March 2022.
Pope Leo sees role as one of building bridges, avoiding polarization
A new biography of Pope Leo, “Leo XIV: Citizen of the World, Missionary of the 21st Century,” contains the full text of the interview granted by the Holy Father to Elise Ann Allen, covering a wide range of topics, including the tragedy of Gaza, the Church’s policy on China, the role of women, the Church’s welcome of those who identify as LGBTQ+, the clerical abuse crisis, the financial situation of the Holy See, artificial intelligence, and fake news.
By Salvatore Cernuzio
In his first full interview since his election, Pope Leo responded to questions on topics as diverse as the quest for peace in Ukraine and “terrible situation in Gaza”; to the role of women in the Church and the Church’s relationship with the LGBTQ+ community; to the clerical abuse and the reform of the Roman Curia.
The interview was granted to Elise Ann Allen for her biography of the Holy Father, León XIV: ciudadano del mundo, misionero del siglo XXI (“Leo XIV: Citizen of the World, Missionary of the XXI Century”), which published Thursday with Penguin Peru. Allen is a senior correspondent for CruxNow.com, an independent online Catholic news site, which published the full text of the interview with Pope Leo in a series of articles also released on Thursday.
The role of the papacy
Asked about how he sees the papacy, Pope Leo highlighted the “pastoral part” of his new role, especially the “outreach to people of all ages.” “I appreciate everyone, whoever they are, what they come with, and I listen to them… So, there’s an aspect of being pastor of the universal Church that I think is very significant, and I think one of the things people appreciate is that,” he said.
He said does not feel overwhelmed by the decisions that will need to be taken in the coming months and years, while acknowledging that internal Church governance is a big part of his role as pope.
What is new, he said, is his role as a world leader. “I’m learning a lot about how the Holy See has had a role in the diplomatic world for many years,” he said. “I’ve always tried to stay up on the news, but the role of pope is certainly new to me.” Here, too, he said, “I’m learning a lot and feeling very challenged, but not overwhelmed.
The tragedy of Gaza
One of the first questions for the Pope concerned the situation in Gaza. Even though there has been some pressure on Israel from the United States, and despite some “very clear statements” recently from President Trump, the Pope said, “there has not been a clear response in terms of finding effective ways to alleviate the suffering of the people, the innocent people in Gaza, and that is obviously of great concern.”
The Pope highlighted the needs of Gazans, and especially the children of the enclave. “They're going to need a lot of help, medical assistance as well as humanitarian aid to really turn that situation around, and right now it still looks very, very grave,” he said. “It’s just so horrible to see the images that we see on television, hopefully something will turn this around.”
Pope Leo worried aloud about growing numb to the pain. “That’s a sort of a human response,” he said, “because you can only stand so much pain.” Human beings, and especially Christians, must not grow numb and must not ignore the situation, he said. Instead, “somehow, we have to continue to push, to try and make a change here.”
The word “genocide”
Concerning the use of the word “genocide” with regard to the tragedy of Gaza, which is “being thrown around more and more,” the Pope emphasized that “officially, the Holy See does not believe that we can make any declaration at this time about that.”
He explained, “There's a very technical definition about what genocide might be, but more and more people are raising the issue, including two human rights groups in Israel have made that statement.”
Relations with China
Staying in the realm of geopolitics, Pope Leo was also asked about “another global actor,” China. He said that “in the short term, I will continue the policy that the Holy See has followed for some years now,” adding that he “in no way” pretends “to be wiser or more experienced” than his predecessors.
For some time now, he said, he has been “in ongoing dialogue” a number of Chinese people with various perspectives, and he is trying “to get a clearer understanding of how the Church can continue the Church’s mission, respecting both culture and the political issues,” while also “respecting a significant group of Chinese Catholics who for many years have lived some kind of oppression or difficulty in living their faith freely, and without taking sides.”
At the same time, he admits, “It’s a very difficult situation.”
U.S. politics
Asked about the significance, “on the geopolitical level,” of being the first Pope from the United States, Pope Leo responded by saying, “First of all, I hope that it will make a difference eventually with the bishops of the United States.”
With regard to “some of the things that have been said” about the U.S. episcopate and the relationship between the Church and politics,” the Pope said, “The fact that I am American means, among other things, that people cannot say, as they did with Francis, ‘he does not understand the United States, he simply does not see what is happening.’”
However, Pope Leo stated clearly, “I don’t plan to get involved in partisan politics.”
With regard to the relationship with President Donald Trump, the Pope expressed his opinion that “it would be much more appropriate for the leadership in the Church within the United States to engage him, quite seriously.” However, he said, “if or when there were specific issues” where it was possible to engage with Trump, “I would have no problem doing so.”
Pope Leo mentioned, as an example, Francis’ letter, issued near the end of his pontificate about the treatment of migrants, saying, “I was very happy to see how the American bishops picked that up, and some of them were courageous enough to go with that.” He explained, “I think that approach, in general, is a better approach, that I would engage with the bishops primarily.”
He later acknowledged that “the United States is a power player on the world level,” and said, “we have to recognize that, and sometimes decisions are made more based on economics than on human dignity and human support, but [we have to] continue to challenge and to raise some questions” to determine the “best way” to respond.
The Pope noted that Trump himself had recently stated that a meeting between the two was not on the agenda, but added, “his brother’s a nice guy” – a reference to Pope Leo’s older brother Louis, who was received in the Oval Office a few days after the Conclave. “One of my brothers has met him and has been very open about his political viewpoints,” Pope Leo confirmed.
Later in the interview, he speaks about his brother again, when describing his relationship with his family. He said he and his brothers, Louis and John, “are still very close, even though one is far on one end politically, we’re in different places.”
The abuse crisis in the Church
A large part of the conversation is dedicated to the “crisis” of clerical sexual abuse in the Church. Pope Leo acknowledged that it is a “real crisis,” saying “victims must be treated with great respect and with an understanding that those who have suffered very deep wounds because of abuse, sometimes carry those wounds for their entire life.
Pope Leo cites statistics showing that “over 90% of people who come forward and make accusations” are “authentic victims.” In other words, they do not make things up.
However, he said, “there have also been proven cases of some kind of false accusations,” and some priests have had their lives “destroyed because of that.” An accusation “does not take away the presumption of innocence,” the Pope insisted, adding, “So, priests have to be protected, or the accused person has to be protected, their rights have to be respected.” Still, he recognized, “even saying that at times is cause of greater pain for the victims.”
In any case, he continued, citing the “very good insight” of Francis, “the issue of sexual abuse cannot become the centre focus of the Church.” After noting that the “vast majority” of people committed to the Church have never abused anyone, he continued, “We can’t make the whole Church focus exclusively on this issue, because that would not be an authentic response to what the world is looking for in terms of the need for the mission of the Church.”
The Church’s approach to the LGBTQ+ community
The Pope was also asked about two of the “hot-botton” issues that arose in the Synod on Synodality: the role of women in the Church’s approach to the LGBTQ+ community.
With regard to the latter, Pope Leo explained that he does not have “a plan at the moment,” but added that he does not want “to continue to polarize or promote polarization in the Church.”
Pope Leo said he embraces Francis’ message of welcome to all, “todos, todos, todos.” “Everyone’s invited in,” he said, “but I don’t invite a person in because they are or are not of any specific identity. I invite a person in because they are a son or daughter of God. You’re all welcome, and let’s get to know one another and respect one another.”
Referring to the the Declaration Fiducia supplicans: On the pastoral meaning of blessings, Pope Leo emphasized that the document “basically says, of course we can bless all people, but it doesn’t look for a way of ritualizing some kind of blessing because that’s not what the Church teaches.”
He acknowledges that some people “want the Church doctrine to change, want attitudes to change.” However, he said, “I find it highly unlikely, certainly in the near future, that the church's doctrine in terms of what the church teaches about sexuality, what the Church teaches about marriage, [will change].”
Pope Leo notes that he has already spoken about marriage, “as did Pope Francis when he was pope, about a family being a man and a woman in solemn commitment, blessed in the sacrament of marriage.”
The role of women in the Church
Nor does he think the Magisterium will change the Church’s position on the ordination of women. Specifically with regard to the possibility of ordaining women as deacons, the said, “I, at the moment, don’t have an intention of changing the teaching of the Church on the topic.”
At the same time, Pope Leo said, “I hope to continue in the footsteps of Francis, including in appointing women to some leadership roles at different levels in the Church's life, recognizing the gifts that women have that can contribute to the life of the Church in many ways.”
The financial situation of the Holy See
Concerning the financial situation of the Holy See, Pope Leo said, “I don’t know how I’m going to handle it yet, but I’m getting some clear ideas.”
He points to several specific issues, including the 60 million euro profit reported by the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See (APSA) in their 2024 financial report.” At the same time, he noted concerns about the pension fund for Vatican employees (“that must be looked at”) and how the Covid crisis affected the Vatican Museums, “one of the most significant sources of income for the Vatican.”
Pope Leo warned, however, that “we must avoid the kinds of wrong choices that were made in recent years,” mentioning the purchase of a building in London that became the centre of a court case that attracted “great publicity.” “How many millions were lost because of that!” the Pope lamented.
At the same time, he noted the “significant steps” already taken during Francis’s pontificate to impose a new system of checks and balances. However, he added, “I’m not saying we can relax and say the crisis is over. I don't think the crisis is over, I think we have to continue to work on this, but I'm not losing sleep over it, and I think that it's important that we communicate a different message.
Curia reforms
On the topic of the reform of the Roman Curia, Pope Leo noted that, “as in any human organization, there are positive things and there are things that need to be improved,” highlighting in particular the importance of “continuing to break down or transform the isolated manner in which each dicastery works.” He expressed concern about a kind of “silo mentality,” which at times has led to a lack of dialogue and communication, and has sometimes been a “great limitation and harm for the governance of the Church.”
The Latin Mass
Pope Leo also responded to the question of the “Traditional Latin Mass,” saying “part of that issue, unfortunately, has become – again, part of a process of polarization – people have used the liturgy as an excuse for advancing other topics. It’s become a political tool, and that’s very unfortunate.”
He acknowledged that he has not yet been able “to really sit down with a group of people who are advocating for the Tridentine Rite,” but said, “there’s an opportunity coming up soon, and I’m sure there will be occasions for that.” He added, “But that is an issue that I think also, maybe with synodality, we have to sit down and talk about.”
Fake news and Artificial Intelligence
Beyond the ecclesial sphere, the interview with Pope Leo also addressed issues including the prevalence of “fake news”, which he calls “destructive;” and the issue of artificial intelligence.
Concerning the latter, the Holy Father worried about “extremely rich people who are investing in artificial intelligence” while “totally ignoring the value of human beings and of humanity.”
“I think the Church has to speak up there,” he said, in which “extremely wealthy people” are investing, while completely ignoring “the value of human beings.” “If the Church doesn't speak up, or if someone doesn't speak up about that – but the Church certainly needs to be one of the voices here – the danger is that the digital world will go on its own way and we will become pawns, or left by the wayside.”
Asked about the problems of so called “deep fakes,” Pope Leo recalled being asked for permission to create an “artificial Pope” so that anyone could have a personal audience with the pontiff. “I said: ‘I’m not going to authorize that,’” and added, “If there’s anybody who should not be represented by an avatar, I would say the Pope is high on the list.”
Vatican News - English Section staff reporters contributed to this report. The full text of the interview, broken up into several articles, can be found on the Crux website, www.cruxnow.com.
