Pope Leo XIV Celebrates First Mass, Emphasizes Mission and Unity

Vatican City – Pope Leo XIV, the first North American to lead the Catholic Church, celebrated his first Mass as pope on Friday in the Sistine Chapel, describing his election as both a cross and a blessing. Speaking in English to the cardinals who elected him, Leo expressed gratitude and humility, vowing to carry forward the Church’s mission with joy, despite the challenges of a modern world that often mocks faith.

“You have called me to take up that cross and be blessed by this mission,” he said, urging the Church to walk together as a community of believers and friends of Jesus, committed to proclaiming the Gospel.

Leo XIV, born to a Chicagoan missionary, was elected the 267th pope on Thursday, making history by breaking the traditional pattern that has largely excluded popes from the Americas.

At the Mass, two women read scripture passages — a possible indication of Leo’s intention to continue Pope Francis’ progressive efforts to increase the role of women in Church life. As a cardinal, Leo had already enacted reforms, including appointing three women to the Vatican board that evaluates bishop nominations — a move seen as one of Francis’ most radical decisions.

Delivering his homily in near-fluent Italian, Leo lamented that Christianity is often ridiculed or dismissed in today’s world, where the pursuit of wealth, power, and success overshadows spiritual values. He warned that even many baptized Christians live in a form of “practical atheism,” misunderstanding Jesus as simply a moral figure or charismatic leader.

“These are precisely the places where our missionary outreach is desperately needed,” he said. “The absence of faith is often tied to a loss of meaning in life, a decline in compassion, attacks on human dignity, a crisis in family life, and other deep wounds in our society.”

His words were met with applause from the cardinals. Observers also noted his simple black shoes — a break from the traditional red papal loafers — symbolizing humility and continuity with Pope Francis’ style.

Pope Francis, the Church’s first Latin American leader, had long shown confidence in Leo. In 2014, he entrusted Leo with a challenging diocese in Peru, recognizing his leadership potential. Later, in 2023, Francis appointed him to head the Vatican’s Dicastery for Bishops, one of the most powerful administrative positions in the Church.