Overview
- Praising Pope Francis as a prophetic voice, Leo affirmed a welcoming Church attentive to the poor and said he will carry forward his predecessor’s reform priorities.
- He called for an ever more missionary Roman Curia oriented to major ecclesial, pastoral and social challenges rather than routine administration.
- Warning against rigidity, ideology and power‑driven dynamics, he questioned whether genuine friendship is possible in the Curia and urged personal conversion and fraternity.
- Reporters noted his gentler, more diplomatic tone than Francis’s past Christmas critiques, even as he raised similar concerns about internal culture.
- In a separate audience with Vatican employees, he urged simplicity and humility as the Church’s style, underscoring a pastoral approach to service.