Pope Leo XIV met with the employees of the Secretariat of State on June 5, 2025, nearly a month after his election. He warmly thanked them, as his collaborators working at the heart of the Catholic Church's administration. He invited this central body of the Vatican to share responsibility for his ministry, while continuing the reform process initiated by Francis.
In contrast to Francis, Pope Leo follows his prepared texts almost word for word. However he left his notes to emphasize: "The pope cannot work alone."
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, head of the Secretariat of State, introduced the meeting after lengthy applause. He started by presenting the new pontiff with the 246 employees working in the three sections of this institution: 181 in the section for general affairs, 59 in the section for relations with states and international organizations, and 6 in the section for diplomatic personnel.
In his speech, Leo XIV welcomed the fact that “almost half” of them are lay people and that more than 50 are women.
The new pope, who will celebrate one month as pontiff on June 8, repeatedly expressed his “heartfelt gratitude” to the Secretariat of State for its collaboration in his “first steps.”
“I am comforted by the knowledge that I am not alone and that I can share the responsibility of my universal ministry with you,” he said.
And he added, departing from his notes: “The pope cannot work alone.”
Tasks that can be misunderstood
Referring to the history of this institution, which has "grown considerably” since its inception at the end of the 15th century, Leo XIV acknowledged that its tasks were “very demanding” and that they “may not be well understood.”
Under Francis' pontificate, the reform of the Curia reduced the role of the Secretariat of State. The style of government of the Argentine pontiff — who didn’t hesitate to bypass this body — also caused some grinding of teeth.
Elected in this delicate context, Leo XIV — who himself worked for just two years within the Curia — expressed his “closeness” to his collaborators and praised their “almost always (...) unnoticed” work.
On May 25, during a Mass at St. John Lateran Cathedral, the new pope also gave a conciliatory speech to the faithful of the diocese of Rome, who were affected by Francis' reform as well. The day before, he had also paid tribute to the employees of the Roman Curia.
In the wake of the reform
Speaking to the staff of the Secretariat of State, Leo XIV didn’t shy away from the reform work in progress. Significantly, he traced it back to Paul VI and defended the line taken in the Apostolic Constitution Praedicate Evangelium published in 2022 by Francis. Emphasizing the role of the Secretariat of State in “coordinating the other dicasteries and institutions of the Apostolic See,” he asked it to build “communion between the Church of Rome and the local Churches, as well as friendly relationships in the international community.”
Quoting Paul VI again, the head of the Catholic Church expressed his hope that “this place not be polluted by ambition or rivalry.”
He invited them to be “brothers and sisters, and children of the pope,” and thanked them for praying for him every day, before adding, “I hope!”
