Pope Leo, Taking Helm of a Divided Church, Urges Unity
nytimes.comPublished: 5/18/2025
Summary
Pope Leo XIV kicked off his papacy by leading an outdoor Mass that emphasized the need for unity within the Roman Catholic Church amidst its divisions over modernization and tradition. In his homily, he called for a "shepherd" capable of preserving faith while addressing future challenges, expressing fear and trembling as someone chosen without personal merit to lead the Church family together.