Pope Leo XIV laid out his priorities for his papacy Sunday, criticising an economic system that exploits nature and the poor during a homily delivered in front of world dignitaries.

“In this our time, we still see too much discord, too many wounds caused by hatred, violence, prejudice, the fear of difference, and an economic paradigm that exploits the Earth’s resources and marginalises the poorest,” Leo said during his inauguration mass.

Tens of thousands of Catholics and politicians including US Vice President JD Vance gathered at the Vatican on Sunday for the inauguration mass of Leo XIV, the first US pope.

Ten days after the soft-spoken Robert Francis Prevost was chosen from among his fellow cardinals to lead the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics, his papacy would formally begin in a ceremony at St Peter’s Square.

The 69-year-old began the day by making his debut tour in a popemobile, standing up in the custom-made white vehicle and smiling, waving and blessing the cheering crowds at the Vatican.

In front of dignitaries including Vance and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, he then gave a homily calling for the Church to be a transformational force in a world of division and hatred.

“In this our time, we still see too much discord, too many wounds caused by hatred, violence, prejudice, the fear of difference, and an economic paradigm that exploits the Earth’s resources and marginalises the poorest,” he said.

The new pontiff, who spent many years as a missionary in Peru, also warned against “closing ourselves off in our small groups”.

“We are called to offer God’s love to everyone, in order to achieve that unity which does not cancel out differences but values the personal history of each person and the social and religious culture of every people,” he said.

Prevost, who was made a cardinal only in 2023 and is unknown to many Catholics, has repeatedly emphasised the importance of peace and social justice in his first few days as pope.

Inacia Lisboa, 71, a pilgrim from Cape Verde who lives in Rome, told AFP at the Vatican on Sunday that Leo had already “entered my heart”.

She said she wanted him to “pray for us all, for peace in the world – we need it so much”.

Source: France 24