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

Chicago-born Robert Prevost, 69, is the first North American to be elected pontiff.

Watch LiveBritish Broadcasting CorporationHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsArtsArts in MotionTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingAudioPodcastsRadioAudio FAQsVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveWeatherNewslettersWatch LivePope Leo XIV calls Church 'a beacon to illuminate dark nights' in first mass2 hours agoShareSaveFrances MaoBBC NewsShareSaveWatch: Pope Leo XIV celebrates first Mass in the VaticanThe 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 the day after he was elected as the 267th Pope and first US leader of the Church, he warned that people were turning away from faith and instead to "technology, money, success, power, or pleasure".

Leo said he had been elected to be a "faithful administrator" of a Church that would act as a "beacon that illuminates the dark nights of this world".

The ascension of Robert Francis Prevost has been celebrated by the world's 1.4 billion Catholics, with joyous outbursts in his US homeland and in Peru, where he served for 20 years.

In his sermon on Friday, the new Pope said there were many settings where the Christian faith was considered "absurd" - with power, wealth, and technology dominating - but it was precisely there that missionary outreach was needed.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4g3dydj3e3o

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