Vatican City: The President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), Archbishop Timothy Broglio, has expressed heartfelt appreciation following the American bishops’ first formal audience with Pope Leo XIV, highlighting the Pontiff’s deep understanding of the Church in the United States and his encouragement to strengthen unity and Gospel witness amid growing polarization.
Speaking after Friday’s audience at the Vatican, Archbishop Broglio described the encounter as “a very pleasant meeting,” marked by warmth, mutual respect, and shared pastoral vision. The archbishop, who leads the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, said he was grateful for the opportunity to personally engage with the new Pope, whom he had known from previous years when Leo XIV served as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and during sessions of the Synod of Bishops.
“The meeting was very cordial,” Archbishop Broglio said. “You feel you are speaking to an older brother walking with you and that is a great blessing.”
Reflecting on the significance of having an American Pope, Archbishop Broglio emphasized that Pope Leo XIV’s background offers a new sense of familiarity between the Vatican and the U.S. Church. “He certainly knows that reality and has grown up in it,” Broglio said. “The refrain that ‘they don’t understand us over here’ doesn’t fit anymore, because he certainly does understand us.”
Pope Leo XIV, who previously served as a missionary and bishop in Peru before his Vatican appointment, brings with him a wide global perspective. “He lived in Europe for many years, he has worked across cultures, and his experience allows him to understand both the universal and local dimensions of the Church,” the archbishop added.
Archbishop Broglio underlined that the American episcopate has always been deeply united with the Successor of Peter. “The bishops and the Church in the United States as a whole have always been very closely allied to the Pope,” he said. “We have been very faithful to Peter, very anxious to hear Peter’s voice and to follow it.”
He said the audience with Pope Leo XIV further strengthened that sense of communion, especially at a time when global and national divisions challenge the Church’s mission of evangelization.
Among the main themes discussed during the meeting were migration and the transmission of the Gospel in a politically and socially polarized climate. “We talked about the challenges we face when people align themselves more quickly with political positions than with the message of the Gospel,” Archbishop Broglio explained.
He shared that Pope Leo offered valuable insights on how to navigate these tensions with pastoral wisdom. “I took home some good lessons from the Holy Father about that very subject,” he said.
The issue of migration, he noted, remains central to both the Pope’s heart and the mission of the U.S. Church. “We are a country of migrants,” Broglio said. “That has been, some might view it as our trial, but also our greatest strength.” He recalled that his own father had started school in New York City without knowing a word of English a living example of the immigrant spirit that has shaped American Catholicism.
Archbishop Broglio also reflected on the ongoing spirit of collegiality between the U.S. bishops and the Holy See. He cited a previous instance under Pope Francis, when a papal letter on migration deeply influenced the pastoral work of the bishops in America. “That letter represented a clear example of collegiality of Peter working with the apostolic college to bring the Gospel message home,” he noted.
He added that the bishops used that papal message to reinforce unity and compassion within their communities. “I was grateful we could use that letter to preach the Gospel to our brothers and sisters in the United States,” he said.
The archbishop acknowledged that ideological divisions remain a serious challenge within society and even among believers. Echoing Pope Leo XIV’s repeated appeals for unity, he said, “What unites us is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
“Every bishop is ordained to be an effective preacher of the Word of God,” he continued. “Sometimes there’s a tendency to listen to other voices, but the bishop of the diocese and the Holy Father for the universal Church are the voices that truly speak of Jesus Christ.”
Broglio emphasized that while diversity of opinion exists among U.S. bishops, their shared mission remains clear: “We try to give space for bishops to speak their mind, but in the end, when we speak to our people, we strive to speak with a united voice.” He added that proclaiming the truth requires both conviction and compassion “It’s not enough to preach the truth; we must also find a way to preach it so that people can accept it.”
Concluding his reflections, Archbishop Broglio expressed gratitude for the Pope’s warmth and attention during their time together. “I will take back to my brother bishops the fact that the Pope loves us very much, that he understands us, and that he wants us to work harder to make the Gospel come alive,” he said.
“The Holy Father gave us nearly an hour of his time, which is very precious,” Broglio added. “We are deeply grateful for his affection and for the tremendous openness of the Apostolic See toward the bishops of the United States.”
He concluded with a message of hope and unity: “We have to help our brothers and sisters recognize that the truth of the Gospel surpasses any division that might separate us. That is the mission Pope Leo XIV has entrusted to us and it is one we embrace with joy and faith.”
Reporting by CNewsLive English | Source: Vatican News, USCCB, and Vatican Secretariat of State