The new Pope Leo XIV described himself as "a humble servant of God and brothers" and emphasized that the position of pope is a place of service, not authority or privilege.
According to the Italian daily Corriere della Sera, Pope Leo XIV met with cardinals in the Vatican Synod Hall on the 10th (local time) and said, "You are helping me carry out roles that exceed my capabilities," adding, "I am just a humble servant."
This was the first time Pope Leo XIV met all the cardinals together since he was elected as the 267th pope on the 8th.
He said, "The pope, from St. Peter to me, his imperfect successor, is only a humble servant of God and brothers" and added, "Nothing more, nothing less."
He continued, "Many of my predecessors have demonstrated this attitude," adding, "Especially Pope Francis has shown a life completely dedicated to service, living a lifestyle that embodies moderation and the pursuit of essence."
Pope Leo XIV urged the cardinals who elected him to continue the journey of carrying on the valuable legacy left by Pope Francis and emphasized their commitment to major church reforms enacted during the Second Vatican Council held in the 1960s.
Reuters interpreted this as Pope Leo XIV expressing his intention to inherit the vision and reforms of the late Pope Francis, who passed away on the 21st of last month.
He also explained the reason he chose the papal name "Leo XIV." This name signifies the continuation of Pope Leo XIII, who passed away in 1903. Leo XIII was the first to issue an encyclical addressing social issues solely, known as "Rerum Novarum" in 1891, laying the foundation for modern Catholic social doctrine.
This encyclical, referred to as "Rerum Novarum" (New Things), points out the desperate reality of workers following the Industrial Revolution and criticizes the shortcomings of both capitalist and socialist ideologies, seeking alternatives based on the gospel perspective.
Pope Leo XIV noted, "Today, the Church is facing another industrial revolution, namely the advancement of artificial intelligence (AI)," adding, "This poses new challenges in protecting human dignity, justice, and labor," highlighting AI as one of the major issues facing humanity.
Pope Francis has also strongly warned of the potential dangers AI may pose to humanity and emphasized the need for regulation through international treaties. He specifically stressed that decisions regarding the use of lethal weapons should not be made by machines instead of people.
Pope Leo XIV's inauguration mass will be held on the 18th in St. Peter's Square in the Vatican.