Vatican City: In a profound address at St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Leo XIV urged members of Synodal Teams and Participatory Bodies to cultivate humility, fraternity, and love within the Church, framing these virtues as essential for fostering authentic communion. Speaking during the Mass for the Jubilee of these ecclesial groups, the Holy Father emphasized that the Church is more than hierarchical structures it is the living, visible sign of unity between God and humanity.
Reflecting on the “mystery of the Church,” Pope Leo reminded participants that true ecclesial life is not governed by power, but by love. “They express what occurs within the Church, where relationships do not respond to the logic of power but to that of love,” he said, stressing that spiritual life must remain central to the Christian community.
The pontiff underscored that love is the Church’s highest rule, urging all to serve rather than dominate. “No one is excluded; we are all called to participate,” he explained, highlighting the importance of communal discernment. He also invoked the words of Pope Francis on the Lenten call to “walk together,” stressing that Christians must journey side by side, never as isolated travelers.
Drawing on the Gospel parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, Pope Leo illustrated the dangers of self-centeredness within the Church. While both pray, the Pharisee isolates himself through pride, whereas the humble tax collector embodies openness, humility, and a shared reliance on God. “Instead of focusing on the Pharisee, we should look to the tax collector,” the Pope urged, reminding the faithful that mutual dependence and love are the foundations of ecclesial life.
Pope Leo highlighted synodal teams and participatory bodies as living examples of the Church in communion. Listening to the Holy Spirit with courage and sincerity through dialogue, fraternity, and parrhesia enables Christians to navigate tensions without suppressing differences. He stressed that unity and diversity, tradition and innovation, authority and participation, need not be mutually exclusive. Rather, when purified by the Spirit, they harmonize toward shared discernment.
The Pope encouraged participants to embrace ecclesial discernment, which requires humility, prayer, interior freedom, and trust, cautioning that it is never the product of one person’s will alone. “Rejecting clericalism and vainglory allows us to create a more welcoming, collegial Church,” he noted.
In his closing appeal, Pope Leo challenged all to dream of a Church that serves humanity with humility. “A Church that bends down to wash the feet of humanity; a Church that does not judge as the Pharisee judges the tax collector, but becomes a welcoming place for all,” he exhorted, calling for a community that embodies love, unity, and shared responsibility at every level.
The Pope’s message resonated as a clarion call for a Church grounded in humility, dialogue, and the transformative power of love, reminding all participants that the path to true communion begins with walking together in faith.