Pope: A more missionary Curia must bear witness to communion in a divided world

Mission and communion were two of the key themes of Pope Leo's address during the traditional exchange of Christmas greetings of the Roman Curia:  mission, so that the work of the Roman Curia may be increasingly directed outward, at the service of the particular Churches, with “institutions, offices, and tasks” designed to face the major ecclesial, pastoral and social challenges, and not merely to ensure ordinary administration;” and communion, by avoiding “rigidity” or “ideology” on issues such as faith, liturgy, and morality, by cultivating authentic relationships, and by becoming a prophetic sign of peace in a world marked by fractures, divisions, and an aggressiveness often fueled by the web and politics. 

Remembering Pope Francis

The applause of his closest collaborators accompanied the Pope's entrance into the Hall of Benedictions, a symbolic place connecting the Apostolic Palace with the world through its opening onto the Loggia of Benedictions. Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, delivered his greeting to Pope Leo XIV, who in turn began his address with the memory of his “beloved predecessor, Pope Francis.” With “prophetic voice, pastoral style and rich magisterium,” Francis marked the path of the Church in recent years, “encouraging us above all to place God’s mercy at the center, to give renewed impetus to evangelization, and to be a joyful Church, welcoming to all and attentive to the poorest.”

From the Apostolic Exhortation Pope Leo drew inspiration to remind the Roman Curia of two fundamental aspects of the Church’s life: mission and communion.