Pope Leo XIV warns against lack of faith in first mass at Vatican

The new Pope, Leo XIV, has called for the Catholic Church to “desperately” counter a lack of faith in his first mass at the Vatican.

Speaking on Friday, the day after he was elected the first US leader of the Catholic Church, he warned that people were turning to “technology, money, success, power, or pleasure” for security instead of the Church.

Pope Leo also called for cardinals to extend missionary outreach.

The ascension of Chicago-born Robert Francis Prevost, 69, has been widely celebrated by 1.4 billion Catholics across the world, with joyous outbursts in particular in Peru, where he was stationed for 20 years, and in his US homeland.

In his speech, the new pope said he had been elected to be a “faithful administrator” of the Church and to steer it as a “beacon” to reach areas suffering a “lack of faith”.

“A lack of faith is often tragically accompanied by the loss of meaning in life, the neglect of mercy, appalling violations of human dignity, the crisis of the family and so many other wounds that afflict our society,” he said in Italian.

Pope Leo wore a white robe trimmed in gold as he addressed the seated cardinals in the Sistine Chapel address broadcast live by the Vatican administration.

On Thursday evening, Prevost was introduced to the world as the new Pope Leo XIV to rousing cheers from crowds gathered in St Peter’s Square.

Appearing on the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica, his first words to the tens of thousands of worshippers gathered outlined a vision of a “missionary” Church which “builds bridges, which holds dialogues, which is always open”.

He echoed his predecessor, the late Pope Francis, in calling for peace.

“Help us, and each other, to build bridges through dialogue, through encounter, to come together as one people, always in peace,” he said.

World leaders have rushed to congratulate Prevost on his election, pledging to work with him on global issues. US President Donald Trump called it a “great honour” to have the first American pope.

Prevost, who also holds Peruvian citizenship, only became an archbishop and then cardinal in 2023. He was elected leader by his fellow cardinals in just two days of voting in the secret conclave that took place two weeks after Francis died.

He is seen as being aligned with the late Pope, who was viewed as a progressive champion of human rights and the poor and celebrated for his charismatic style that sought to make the Catholic Church more outward-facing.

Vatican watchers have noted that Francis appeared to have brought Prevost to Rome in recent years, perhaps to set him up as a potential successor.

Pope Leo’s upcoming remarks, which include Sunday’s midday Regina Coeli prayer and a Monday press conference with journalists, will be closely scrutinised for hints as to which direction he intends to lead the Church and what kind of Pope he will be.