Pope Leo on Thursday called on the world’s Catholic cardinals to set aside internal divisions and focus on spreading a message of inclusion and unity, as he opened a high-level summit aimed at shaping the future direction of the 1.4-billion-member Church.
Speaking during a closed-door meeting at the Vatican, the new pope emphasized that the Church’s growth depends on its ability to attract new believers through a credible message of compassion, according to remarks released by the Holy See.
“Only love is trustworthy; only love is credible,” Pope Leo told the assembled cardinals. “While unity attracts, division scatters,” he added, underscoring his concern about ideological rifts within the Church.
The two-day summit, which concludes Thursday, brought together 170 of the world’s 245 cardinals, the Vatican said. Participants were asked not to publicly discuss the deliberations to allow for candid exchanges, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said.
The meeting offered Pope Leo his first major opportunity to signal continuity with the late Pope Francis, who died in April after a 12-year papacy marked by efforts to make Catholicism more inclusive. Francis frequently clashed with conservative factions as he pushed for greater outreach to LGBTQ Catholics and opened discussions on the role of women in the Church.
Leo, formerly U.S. Cardinal Robert Prevost, was elected pope in May. Observers say his early messaging suggests he intends to continue Francis’ reform trajectory rather than reverse it.
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Massimo Faggioli, a Vatican analyst and professor at Trinity College Dublin, said Leo is seeking consensus among Church leaders. “He is working to convince the cardinals that they need to act collectively and respond to what Catholic people are asking for,” Faggioli said, adding, “I don’t think he will go back.”
As he begins his first full year as pontiff, Pope Leo asked the cardinals to advise him on priorities for the next two years, signaling a consultative leadership style.
British Cardinal Timothy Radcliffe echoed the pope’s message, warning that internal disputes could undermine the Church’s mission. “If we quarrel with one another,” Radcliffe said, “we shall be of no use to the Holy Father.”
