“I am a son of Saint Augustine. I am a Christian and a bishop. We can walk together toward that homeland for which God has prepared us. To the Church of Rome, a special greeting. Together we must be a missionary Church, building bridges and dialogue, and open to deciding, like this square, all those who need charity, dialogue, and affection.”

These first words of Pope Leo XIV sparked great interest worldwide, in addition to the faith shared by all believers. Since the death of Pope Francis, the news has focused on St. Peter’s Square and the Conclave held in the Sistine Chapel, a monument of art and, above all, of shared faith that has placed the Church at the forefront of current events.

Bridge Builder

The election of the Roman Pontiff Leo XIV, a bridge builder as he has just mentioned, was the work of the cardinals, followed by bishops, priests, deacons, religious men and women, and the lay faithful, the largest group on earth: more than 1.4 billion Catholics in total who share the same faith. Above all, it was the work of God the Holy Spirit, who moves the minds and hearts of God’s children in his Church.

He fits the desired profile of the next Pope as “a pastor, teacher of humanity, capable of embodying the face of a Samaritan Church, close to the needs and wounds of humanity.” But there is much more to it, because the Holy Spirit assists the Holy Father to promote unforeseen innovations regarding unity in the Church, communion in the same faith, the sanctification of the faithful, and evangelization to bring the light of Jesus Christ to the world.

There will be no dilemma between novelty or continuity, but rather a conjunction of both, because the Church is alive and rejuvenates with each Pontificate.

This great event, which we have already experienced since the Conclave that elected Pope Leo XIV, contributes to a more realistic and faithful view of the Church in its spiritual condition, as a follower of Jesus Christ and a path to encounter with God. Other recurring questions about the moral orientation of Christians, the difficulties of evangelization, and the errors, abuses, and bad examples of some ecclesiastics are relegated to the background.

Leo XIV will continue the process of Church reform by contributing his own program of government and sanctification in a novel application of the Second Vatican Council, allowing himself to be led by the Holy Spirit who has just written a new page in the history of salvation, while at the same time embracing the communion of faith and charity of believers in Jesus Christ, the Lord of history.

After praying for the election of Pope Leo XIV, we give thanks, convinced by the faith that he is the Pontiff the Church now needs, and that he will serve as a moral reference point for the entire world. It is important to ask ourselves about the identity of the faith received, celebrated, and lived; our responsibility as faithful Catholics; the path to holiness; the practice of the sacraments; and unity. Of course, the Church is not a multinational organization of peace and solidarity, much less a moral army in battle formation to face the problems of today’s world.

And we also recall the recent words of Pope Francis at the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ: “If he has risen from the dead, then he is present everywhere, dwelling among us, hiding and revealing himself even today in the sisters and brothers we meet along the way, in the most anonymous and unpredictable situations of our lives.” We can see this now, and at the end of the Conclave of Cardinals: the chosen one succeeds not only Pope Francis, Benedict XVI, or John Paul II, but above all Peter as Vicar of Jesus Christ.

The Pilgrim Church

The Church’s pilgrimage through history is completely unique to human eyes. Although it has known times of crisis, it has always emerged purified and strengthened in its universal mission, with God’s help.

Rationalism, with its anti-supernatural prejudice, has often forced us to delve deeper into Scripture, the history of salvation, and pastoral care. Later, with the industrial and cultural development of modern societies, the Church has defended the dignity of persons, developed a theology of work, a pioneering social doctrine, defended the family, and defended freedom of education, among many other achievements.

Already in the twentieth century, the preparation of lay people has grown, more conscious of their mission to transform the world and elevate its structures into a more humane society. The Second Vatican Council has provided an unparalleled impetus to foster the search for holiness in the world and the transformation of its structures, making them more humane. Women in the Church and in the world are taking on a new role.

Christians’ interest in the history of the Church leads them to understand divine gifts and care, and also allows them to understand how men and women have responded with their freedom to God’s designs for the salvation of all. For with his infinite wisdom, God has willed us to be free—even with the obvious possibility of sinning—and that history be effectively made by us; and at the same time, God has not wished to withdraw his Providence from it, but rather governs it with gentleness and strength.

With the election of Pope Leo XIV over, we see that human estimations of the Church have often been mistaken when they stem from an inadequately formed faith, not to mention when they originate from a lack of faith. From these flawed perspectives, the Church’s survival for twenty centuries is inexplicable, since infidelities, inconsistencies, and persecutions would be enough to make it disappear from the earth. But this has not happened that way, for the Church appears today as a permanent miracle of faith.

From the very beginning, the Holy Father counted on the prayer, unity, and communion of the faithful with him to carry out his evangelizing mission as Vicar of Jesus Christ and moral leader for the world. And the words of Jesus Christ take on new meaning: “Know that I am with you always, until the end of the age.”