Pope Leo XIV made a firm declaration on Wednesday that Catholic priests must remain celibate and urged bishops to take “firm and decisive” steps in addressing sexual abuse within the Church. His comments came as he addressed Catholic leaders from across the globe, setting clear expectations for leadership and moral conduct among clergy.
The pontiff gathered with approximately 400 bishops and cardinals representing 38 nations inside St. Peter’s Basilica. The assembly was part of the special Holy Year celebrations dedicated to clergy. Following a speech filled with encouragement directed at young seminarians the day before, Leo’s Wednesday address served as a comprehensive and serious guideline for bishops on how to shepherd their congregations responsibly and ethically.
This message carried particular weight considering Leo’s previous position as Cardinal Robert Prevost. As the former head of the Vatican Dicastery for Bishops, Prevost played a key role in selecting and vetting bishops from 2023 until his own election as pope in May. During his time in that role, the Chicago-born cleric was responsible for ensuring that newly appointed bishops aligned with Pope Francis’ inclusive and dialogical vision for the Catholic Church. His past experience clearly informed his message to his fellow bishops.
During his speech, Pope Leo XIV emphasized that a bishop’s primary responsibility is to promote unity among the clergy in his diocese and to be accessible to his parishioners through both word and deed. He urged bishops to adopt a humble and modest lifestyle, shunning opulence and the pursuit of material gain. The pope emphasized the importance of being approachable and generous, describing bishops as paternal and fraternal figures who should maintain close relationships with the priests under their care.
“In his personal life, he must be detached from the pursuit of wealth and from forms of favoritism based on money or power,” the pope stated, reinforcing his call for financial and moral integrity among bishops.
Leo also stressed the importance of celibacy, calling it a defining and visible symbol of the Church’s sacred nature. “Bishops must remain celibate and present to all the authentic image of the church, holy and chaste in her members as in her head,” he said. This declaration stood as a clear reaffirmation of the Church’s long-standing discipline, despite ongoing debates around the world regarding the future of celibacy in the priesthood.
When speaking about the issue of abuse, Pope Leo XIV delivered a particularly stern warning. He urged bishops to act promptly and resolutely when handling situations that may lead to scandal or involve any form of abuse, especially cases involving minors. His guidance underscored the need to align with existing Church laws and civil regulations, saying bishops must “be firm and decisive in dealing with situations that can cause scandal and with every case of abuse, especially involving minors, and fully respect the legislation currently in force.”
Leo’s remarks on abuse were the second time in a week that he publicly addressed the issue, which has continued to cast a shadow over the Church for years. Just a few days earlier, on Friday night, he had issued a written statement in response to a report from a Peruvian journalist. The journalist had exposed widespread abuses within a Catholic movement in Peru, drawing global attention. In that written message, Leo declared that abuse of any kind must not be tolerated in the Catholic Church. He explicitly cited sexual, spiritual, and authoritative abuses, calling for institutional reforms that would foster transparency and accountability.
He stressed the need for the Church to adopt “transparent processes” and promote a “culture of prevention,” ensuring that abusive behavior is not only addressed but systematically prevented in the future.
The firm stance taken by Leo XIV on abuse and celibacy marks a continuation of the legacy left by Pope Francis, who supported Leo’s rise to the papacy. Francis had also reaffirmed celibacy for priests in the Latin rite, although he openly acknowledged that it is a Church discipline, not a fixed doctrine, meaning it could potentially change over time. However, despite calls from bishops in the Amazon to ordain married priests in order to ease the priest shortage in remote regions, Francis declined to alter the rule. His decision emphasized the importance of maintaining the celibate tradition even amid pastoral challenges.
Leo’s own journey and experience in Latin America add further perspective to his position. As a missionary and later a bishop in Peru, Prevost served for more than twenty years before returning to the Vatican. This background gave him direct exposure to the debates and pastoral realities surrounding priestly celibacy and Church governance in regions like the Amazon, where the demand for clergy often outpaces supply.
Given this context, Leo’s decision to uphold priestly celibacy during his address on Wednesday reflects both his commitment to tradition and a pastoral sensitivity shaped by experience. “Bishops must remain celibate and present to all the authentic image of the church,” he reiterated, leaving no doubt about his position on the matter.
His insistence on personal integrity, pastoral closeness, and bold action in the face of abuse reflects a broader strategy to restore faith in Church leadership. In reaffirming values like chastity, humility, and transparency, Pope Leo XIV seeks not only to guide but also to reform. By urging bishops to embody these principles, he hopes to rebuild the moral authority of the Church, especially in communities still healing from past scandals.
The gathering of bishops in St. Peter’s Basilica wasn’t just symbolic; it marked a moment of renewed purpose and accountability for Catholic leadership. Leo’s speech laid out a clear roadmap for the Church’s future, with the pope acting as both spiritual leader and reformer.
With firm guidance on issues of discipline, integrity, and abuse, Pope Leo XIV’s message to the bishops was unmistakable: the Catholic Church must return to its core values and ensure that its shepherds are living examples of the teachings they profess. The pontiff’s address served as a defining moment for his papacy, clarifying that while compassion and openness are vital, so too are strength, clarity, and accountability.
By reasserting celibacy and zero tolerance for abuse, Leo XIV positioned himself not only as a steward of tradition but as a leader determined to confront the Church’s deepest challenges with courage and integrity.