On May 18, 2025, Pope Leo XIV delivered his inaugural homily as the new Bishop of Rome. In a world marked by restlessness, division, and deep spiritual hunger, the new Pope set the tone for his pontificate with a message of unity, charity, and missionary zeal. Here are ten of the most powerful passages from his homily, along with reflections especially designed for members of the Vincentian Family—those who walk in the footsteps of St. Vincent de Paul, St. Louise de Marillac, Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, Blessed Frédéric Ozanam and many others.

1. “The ministry of Peter is marked precisely by this self-giving love, because the Church of Rome presides in charity and its true authority is the charity of Christ. It is never about overpowering others, or religious propaganda, or the tools of power. It is always and only about loving as Jesus loved.”

For the Vincentian Family, this is not just a mission statement—it is a way of life. Charity is not simply an action we perform; it is the source of our credibility and our authority. As St. Vincent de Paul reminded his followers, “Let us love God, but let it be with the strength of our arms and the sweat of our brows.” Love must be embodied. If our service to the poor becomes performance or paternalism, we lose the very heart of our vocation. Pope Leo reminds us that we must never substitute strategy or control for Christ-like love. In the slums, in the soup kitchens, and in our Vincentian communities, our authority must be rooted in how we love and serve.

2. “When Jesus asks Peter, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’ He refers to the love of the Father. It’s as if Jesus is saying: only if you have known and experienced this love of God—which never fails—can you feed my lambs; only in the love of God the Father can you love your brothers and sisters with a ‘greater’ love, that is, by laying down your life for them.”

This is the path of “greater love” to which every Vincentian is called. Whether lay or ordained, single or married, religious or volunteer—our mission begins not in what we do, but in Who we have encountered. To serve effectively, we must first allow ourselves to be loved unconditionally by God. Only then can we move beyond transactional charity into sacrificial love. It is this “greater love” that allows a member of the Vincentian Family to embrace an abandoned child, to stand in solidarity with migrants, to accompany a dying prisoner. To feed His lambs, we must first feed on His love.

3. “In our time, we still see too much discord, too many wounds caused by hatred, violence, prejudice, the fear of the other, and an economic system that exploits the Earth’s resources and marginalizes the poorest. We want to be, in this dough, a small leaven of unity, communion, and fraternity.”

The Vincentian Family was born precisely to be this leaven. St. Vincent once said, “The poor are your masters.” If the world today is marked by division and exclusion, then our role is not merely to soothe the symptoms, but to transform the structure from within. As a Family, we are not a mere service organization; we are an evangelical ferment. Whether in systemic change initiatives, housing projects, or grassroots accompaniment, we are called to inject the Gospel into the very fabric of society. Pope Leo’s call is clear: we must live a counter-cultural fraternity that both confronts injustice and offers a credible alternative—rooted in Christ and lived among the poor.

4. “I come to you with fear and trembling, as a brother who wants to become a servant of your faith and your joy, walking with you on the path of God’s love, who wants us all united in a single family.”

This humility is the beating heart of Vincentian leadership. St. Vincent de Paul did not see himself as superior to the poor, but as their humble companion. Pope Leo’s words echo this same spirit. In a Vincentian context, this means that our leaders—whether they are presidents, superiors, or project coordinators—must see themselves as servants first. Our strength lies not in our titles, but in our willingness to walk with others in love, joy, and faith. In a fragmented world, this humble servanthood becomes revolutionary.

5. “We want to say to the world, with humility and joy: look to Christ! Draw near to Him! Welcome His Word that enlightens and consoles! Listen to His proposal of love, so we may become His one family: in the one Christ, we are one.”

This is the heart of evangelization—offering Christ, not ideology. As Vincentians, our service must always be transparent to Christ. We feed the hungry because we have been fed by Christ. We care for the lonely not to fill our own needs, but because Christ first loved us. Yet in doing so, we proclaim with our lives that “in the one Christ, we are one.” Whether in interfaith dialogue, social projects, or visits to the sick, let us never be ashamed to make Christ known—not with slogans, but through the humble witness of love.

6. “Let us build a Church founded on the love of God and a sign of unity, a missionary Church that opens its arms to the world, that proclaims the Word, that allows itself to be unsettled by history, and that becomes a leaven of concord for humanity.”

Our Vincentian charism is incarnational: it steps into the mess of history, listens to the cry of the poor, and responds with concrete acts of mercy and justice. Our vocation calls us to allow ourselves to be challenged —by homelessness, by loneliness, by ecological collapse, by systemic injustice—and to respond as one body. Pope Leo calls us not to comfort, but to mission. Let us go, then, with arms open to the world.

7. “All of us are made ‘living stones,’ called by our Baptism to build God’s house in fraternal communion, in the harmony of the Spirit, in the coexistence of differences.”

The Vincentian Family is made up of many branches, but one vine. In the vast Vincentian Family each culture, each generation brings its stone to the common temple. We are not rivals; we are co-builders. The harmony of the Spirit demands mutual respect, co-responsibility, and love. In a world that silos and isolates, Pope Leo offers a vision where differences do not divide but enrich. May we dare to build this house together.

8. “Let this be our first great desire: a united Church, a sign of unity and communion, becoming a ferment for a reconciled world.”

Unity is not uniformity, and reconciliation is not passivity. The Church Pope Leo envisions—united, missionary, reconciling—is the Church St. Vincent longed to serve. Our works of charity must lead to communion. When we serve the poor, we are not just meeting needs—we are reconciling humanity. Each home visit, each act of mercy, each word of encouragement can become sacrament. If the world is fractured, let us be the stitches of its healing.

9. “We are called to offer God’s love to all, so that unity may be realized—a unity that does not erase differences but values each person’s history and the social and religious culture of every people.”

This is inculturation in action. Vincentians serve in every continent, culture, and context. The temptation is to impose, but Pope Leo reminds us: we are to value, not erase. The poor are not problems to fix—they are persons with dignity, memory, and faith. To love them is to receive them. As we adapt our charism in diverse cultures, we must learn to see Christ in each face, speak His love in each language, and honor the sacred in every tradition. Only then can true unity flourish.

10. “Brothers and sisters, this is the hour of love! The charity of God that makes us brothers and sisters is the heart of the Gospel… Together, as one people, as brothers and sisters all, let us walk toward God and love one another.”

This is the hour of love. It is the time to reawaken our zeal, renew our communities, and recommit to our mission. The Gospel is not an abstract truth—it is the incarnate love of God who makes us family. As we walk together—clergy, laity, young and old, poor and rich—we become the Church Pope Leo dreams of: missionary, joyful, humble, and united. Let us love one another, and in doing so, make God visible again in our wounded world.

Pope Leo XIV’s inaugural homily is not just a message to the Church—it is a roadmap for renewal. May we take these words to heart, and with faith, humility, and daring love, continue our pilgrimage toward the Kingdom where all are brothers and sisters, and Christ is all in all.