Pope Leo XIV.: Call to the Reformed Missionary Church!

Pope Leo XIV.: Call to the Reformed Missionary Church!

Erfurt, Deutschland - On May 9, 2025, Pope Leo XIV gave his first speech and directed an impressive peace greeting to the people of Rome and worldwide. The new Pontifex, which stepped onto the Mittelloggia of St. Peter's Basilica at 7:23 p.m., outlined a clear vision for the future of the Catholic Church. His main concern is to make the church a missionary community that builds the bridges and seeks dialogue in order to promote peace and charity. Leo XIV asked the faithful to be particularly close to the suffering people, which is considered the central component of his pontificate.

In his speech, Pope Leo XIV emphasized the beauty and joy that Jesus' knowledge brings with it, and defined peace as something that is humiliated and comes from God. He recalled Pope Francis and his blessing for the world, where he called all the people, peoples and the entire earth to unity. Here he referred to the day of the petition to the mother of Pompei and asked for a common prayer for peace.

A call to synodality

Special value placed Leo XIV on the need for a synodal church that is not only active, but also takes proactive steps to promote the community. His appeal for synodity and active search for peace and charity is of great importance, especially in view of the current challenges with which the church is faced.

Shortly before the second meeting of the synodal committee, Catholic associations and reform initiatives raised their voices and requested the continuation of the synodal processes in Germany. The organizations underlined the importance of reforms within the Catholic Church. They appealed to the German bishops to dissolve self -caused obstacles that arose from the abuse crisis and the reform backlog. In this context, Erfurt was emphasized as an important place for the connection and credibility of the Church.

reform processes and the voice of the people

The groups present asked the bishops to anchor the synodality propagated by Pope Francis and to correct problematic church structures. Real participation is crucial, not only through advice, but also by decision. A sustainable approach requires the inclusion of the believers, especially women, in leadership roles. The associations also call for the return of divorced priests to the pastoral and criticize that some bishops do not participate in the synodal committee.

The challenges and the need for reform make it clear that the Catholic Church can not only rely on old traditions, but must also be actively embedded in the current social context. The World Synod in October in Rome will be an important opportunity to discuss and advance the proposed proposals and concerns.

Süddeutsche reports that the Pope calls for an active role in the church. The first words on the loggia of the Petersdom were summarized in a report by vatican news Context for the ongoing reform processes, the explanations on katholisch.de .