Father Joseba Kamiruaga Mieza, CMF
“Tu es Petrus”—You are Peter. These ancient words resounded again in St. Peter’s Square as the Church welcomed Pope Leo XIV, the 267th successor to the Chair of Peter. Yet something felt distinctly new.
From his first appearance, Pope Leo “landed on his feet,” as the saying goes. With humble authority and captivating simplicity, he transformed a centuries-old ritual into the beginning of a bold and compassionate pontificate. He did not perform for the crowd; rather, he invited the world into a moment of spiritual clarity.
Observers quickly asked: Is this pope a visionary or simply a man of faith? He is both—and more. Pope Leo’s theological depth and tangible gestures convey a grounded leadership rooted in service, not in power. The traditional tiara—symbolising rule—has given way to the pallium and the fisherman’s ring, signs of his role as shepherd and servant.
The new pope is not looking back nostalgically. His pontificate opens in a time shaped by artificial intelligence and digital revolution, and he sees these not with suspicion but as opportunities to awaken compassion and mercy across boundaries. He envisions a Church that does not retreat from the world but engages it fully, bringing the peace of Christ to our fractured age.
During his inaugural Mass, the Holy Father reflected on Jesus’ words to Peter: “Feed my sheep.” He spoke firmly against any temptation to rule from above or act as a solitary leader. Instead, he emphasised walking alongside the faithful, nurturing a Church built by all the baptised—“living stones” called to construct God’s house in harmony and diversity.
Observers quickly asked: Is this pope a visionary or simply a man of faith? He is both—and more. Pope Leo’s theological depth and tangible gestures convey a grounded leadership rooted in service, not in power
This vision is deeply aligned with the synodal path initiated by Pope Francis. Pope Leo reaffirmed that authority in the Church must be shared. “Governing together,” he explained, is not a slogan but the expression of a Church where mission and leadership are collaborative, not clerical. The call is to a Church that listens, discerns, and walks forward—together.
Unity is at the heart of his message—not uniformity, but communion. “Let this be our first great desire,” he said, “a Church united, a sign of unity and a leaven for a reconciled world.” At a time when division, prejudice, violence, and ecological crisis plague humanity, the Church must offer something different: healing, harmony, and hope.
Pope Leo’s style is already winning hearts. His gestures are simple, his words unpretentious. Yet he speaks with moral clarity. His appeal reaches not only the faithful but also non-believers, seekers, and members of other religions. His message is one of openness: the Church must not be a closed circle, but a people on mission—embracing all, excluding none.
Within 10 days of his election, Pope Leo has become a global voice for peace. His firm appeals for ceasefires in Ukraine, Gaza, and elsewhere have filled a void left by paralysed global institutions. Where others hesitate, he has spoken. Where others divide, he calls for unity. And his gaze—captured in a moment during his inauguration, observing world leaders—seemed to ask: can we walk together toward a new earth?
He is the first American pope, the son of immigrants who fled war-torn Europe, a missionary in the barrios of Peru, and former head of the Augustinian order. He brings with him the serenity of service, the experience of poverty, and a commitment to reconciliation that goes beyond rhetoric
His biography also speaks volumes. He is the first American pope, the son of immigrants who fled war-torn Europe, a missionary in the barrios of Peru, and former head of the Augustinian order. He brings with him the serenity of service, the experience of poverty, and a commitment to reconciliation that goes beyond rhetoric.
Throughout the inauguration, his message remained clear: the Church belongs in the world, not above or beyond it. He did not reference Fratelli tutti directly, but its spirit infused his words. The Church, he said, must be a leaven of unity, not through dominance but through encounter. His motto—In uno Christo sumus [In Christ, we are one]—summarizes his entire outlook: unity through love, rooted in Christ.
He recalled the words of St. Augustine, a saint he deeply reveres: “The Church is made up of all those who are in harmony with their brothers and who love their neighbour.” This is the Church Pope Leo seeks: not one defined by institutional boundaries, but by communion, compassion, and mission.
As he concluded the celebration, he remembered the starving civilians of Gaza, the suffering people of Myanmar, and the tormented victims of war in Ukraine. These were not diplomatic statements. They were a shepherd’s cry. A pope who speaks peace must also bear witness to it—personally, concretely, with the full weight of the cross he now carries.
The Church under Pope Leo XIV is a Church on the move: rooted in its tradition, yet alive in the present and open to the future. Like Peter, he steps into uncertain waters, trusting in the One who called him. And like Peter, he must now strengthen his brothers and sisters—across nations, cultures, and beliefs.
Let us, as the faithful, walk with him. Let us be that leaven of reconciliation. Let us be, in Christ, one.
