Pope Leo XIV, formerly Chicago-born Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, delivered his first homily as head of the Catholic Church on Friday, May 9, urging the Church to confront what he called a growing global crisis of faith. Speaking in the Sistine Chapel one day after being elected the 267th pope, Leo called for renewed missionary outreach in societies where belief is dismissed, marginalised, or overshadowed by materialism.
He warned that Christian faith is increasingly seen as outdated or even absurd, expressing concern over a secular culture that places its trust in technology, wealth, power, and pleasure. The pope described a world not only losing faith but also drifting from meaning, compassion, and human dignity, referencing the decline of family structures as one symptom. “There are places or situations where it is not easy to preach the Gospel and bear witness to its truth, where believers are mocked, opposed, despised or at best tolerated and pitied,” he said in Italian, standing beneath Michelangelo’s The Last Judgment. “Yet, precisely for this reason, they are the places where our missionary outreach is desperately needed.”
Leo also critiqued modern portrayals of Jesus, cautioning against reducing him to a mere heroic figure or charismatic leader. Such simplifications, he warned, contribute to “practical atheism,” even among Christians. In English, he began his address by calling for unity among the cardinals and expressed his trust in their support as he begins his papal ministry.
His election on Thursday, May 8, came as a surprise to many. Elevated to the College of Cardinals only in 2023, Leo previously served for two decades as a missionary in Peru, earning him the nickname “Latin Yankee” in Rome. Tens of thousands gathered in St Peter’s Square for his first public appearance, many seeing him for the first time.
Although less internationally recognised than his predecessor, the late Pope Francis, Leo is widely respected for his pastoral work in Latin America. Bishop Luis Alberto Barrera of El Callao praised his humility and deep connection with the people. Back home in Chicago, celebrations erupted in the city’s South Side, where the former altar boy grew up. Locals even debated his allegiance to a baseball team—his brother later confirmed he supports the White Sox.
In his first address from the balcony on May 8, Leo echoed Pope Francis’s call for peace and dialogue, encouraging bridge-building within and beyond the Church. His election, the first of an American pope in history, was welcomed by leaders around the world who voiced hope for collaboration on global issues such as justice, conflict resolution, and human rights.
Now leading a Church facing internal divisions and ongoing crises—including the fallout from clerical abuse scandals and tensions over doctrine—Leo brings a reputation for defending the poor and advocating for migrants. As a bishop in the U.S., he openly criticised anti-immigration policies. Despite their differences, former U.S. President Donald Trump hailed Leo’s election as a “great honour.”
Observers say Leo represents a continuation of Francis’s progressive vision but with a gentler tone. Italian Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi described him as “a very simple person, intensely kind.” All eyes are now on the new pope as he begins to shape the next chapter of the Catholic Church’s long and complex history.
