ROME — Pope Leo XIV addressed a gathering of approximately 400 bishops and cardinals at St. Peter’s Basilica on Wednesday, emphasizing the necessity of celibacy for priests and urging church leaders to adopt a resolute approach in handling cases of sexual abuse. The meeting was part of a special series of Holy Year celebrations dedicated to clergy from 38 countries.
Just a day prior, Pope Leo had delivered words of inspiration to young seminarians, but in this address, he provided a more detailed directive on the expectations for bishops in their leadership roles. This is a subject close to the heart of the former Cardinal Robert Prevost, given his prior position as the prefect of the Vatican Dicastery for Bishops. From 2023 up until his election in May, Prevost played a key role in evaluating bishop nominations under Pope Francis, advocating for leaders who would promote a church open to all and governed by dialogue.
As history’s first American pope, Leo underscored that bishops are primarily responsible for cultivating unity within their dioceses among the clergy, fostering closeness with their communities through both word and deed. He urged bishops to embrace lives of poverty and simplicity, opening their doors generously as both father figures and brothers to their priests.
“In his personal life, he must be detached from the pursuit of wealth and from forms of favoritism based on money or power,” Pope Leo declared, further insisting that bishops must adhere to celibacy. He stated this would uphold the church’s image as holy and chaste in both its congregation and leadership.
Addressing the sensitive topic of abuse, he called upon bishops to act decisively against situations that could lead to scandal, particularly those involving minors, and to adhere to the existing legislative framework. This marked the second occasion within a week that Leo commented publicly on the scandal. Earlier, he issued a written statement to a Peruvian journalist who had exposed significant abuses in a Catholic movement, expressing zero tolerance for any form of abuse within the Church. He highlighted the importance of transparent processes to cultivate a preventative culture.
Pope Francis, who played an instrumental role in positioning Leo as his successor, similarly upheld the practice of celibacy for Latin rite priests. While acknowledging celibacy as church discipline rather than doctrine, and therefore subject to change, he rejected requests from Amazonian bishops to permit married priests to tackle the region’s priest shortage.
Having spent two decades as a missionary and bishop in Peru, Prevost is familiar with such debates. Nonetheless, alongside Pope Leo on Wednesday, he reiterated the importance of celibate priesthood as the “authentic image” of the church.