Vatican office must be place of faith, charity, not ambition, pope says

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Because of its universal character and outlook, the Catholic Church can be a driving force for building communion between the church of Rome and the local churches as well as fostering friendly relationships in the world community, Pope Leo XIV told members of the Vatican Secretariat of State.

However, “Let this place not be clouded by ambition or rivalry; instead, let it be a true community of faith and charity, of ‘brothers and sisters, and children of the pope,’ who give themselves generously for the good of the church,” he said, quoting an appeal made by St. Paul VI when he addressed the Roman Curia in 1963.

Meeting with the officials during an audience at the Vatican June 5, Pope Leo told them the dicastery “reflects the face of the church” with its numerous members from all over the world — bishops, priests, religious men and women, and lay people — who work alongside the pope.

“Together we share the questions, difficulties, challenges and hopes of the people of God throughout the world,” and, as such, “we are incarnate in time and history since God chose the human condition and the languages of humanity,” he said.

“The church, therefore, is called to follow the same path, in order that the joy of the Gospel may reach everyone, mediated through today’s cultures and languages,” he said. “At the same time, we always seek to maintain a Catholic, universal outlook that allows us to appreciate different cultures and sensibilities.”

“In this way, we can be a driving force committed to building communion between the church of Rome and the local churches, as well as friendly relationships in the international community,” Pope Leo said.

However, “universality evokes the mystery of the multifaceted unity of the church and requires a subsequent effort of synthesis to assist the pope’s mission,” he said.

“It is precisely the Secretariat of State that offers this service of unification and synthesis,” he told them.

Pope Leo thanked the officials “for the skills you place at the service of the church, for your work — which almost always goes unnoticed — and for the evangelical spirit that inspires it.”

“I know that these tasks are very demanding and, at times, may not be well understood,” he said, which is “why I wish to express my closeness to you and, above all, my heartfelt gratitude.”

The pope met with the officials, including Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin, who has been Vatican secretary of state since 2013.

The secretariat coordinates the work of the Roman Curia, coordinates the preparation and publication of papal documents and supervises the work of Vatican nuncios in their relations with Catholic communities in individual countries and with national governments. The secretary and other top officials of the secretariat also often represent the pope and the Holy See on the world stage.

Pope Leo thanked Cardinal Parolin and all the dicastery’s officials for their “precious service,” adding, “I am comforted by the knowledge that I am not alone and that I can share the responsibility of my universal ministry with you.”

Straying from his prepared text, he added his sincere thanks for their support over the weeks since his inauguration May 18.

“It is evident to me that the pope cannot work alone. There is great necessity to rely on the assistance of many people in the Holy See, and in a special way on all of you in the Secretariat of State,” he said to applause.

“I thank you because I know that you pray for me — I hope! — every day,” he also told them.

Introducing the group to the pope, Cardinal Parolin told him that the dicastery was made up of 246 people: 181 in the section dedicated to “general affairs”; 59 in the section responsible for the Holy See’s diplomatic relations with states and foreign affairs; and six people in the section helping support the Holy See’s diplomatic staff.

The cardinal said despite their large numbers and diverse backgrounds, they are all united in their “faith and love of the Lord Jesus. We are here for Him,” and to serve his church and the pope.