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Vatican City – In his first official meeting with the officials of the Roman Curia, employees of the Governorate of the Vatican City State, and the Vicariate of Rome, Pope Leo XIV outlined the guiding principles of his ministry: rooted in memory and open to mission. Greeted with prolonged applause in the Paul VI Hall, the Pope immediately joked: "When the applause lasts longer than the speech, I’ll have to make a longer speech!"

The Pope then began his address — "In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, peace be with you" — and welcomed an audience that included not only officials and superiors, but also many family members “taking advantage of the Saturday.”

“Preserving and Transmitting Memory”

In just over ten minutes, Pope Leo XIV shared his vision of the Curia as a place of living memory and shared mission, with a tone combining personal humility and pastoral authority. Reiterating that "Popes come and go, the Curia remains,"the new Pontiff issued a clear challenge: to rebuild a relationship of trust with those who collaborate in the ministry of the Successor of Peter, appreciating their daily service. This marks a clear shift from the atmosphere of mistrust that characterized much of the previous pontificate toward the “Curial machine.” With this first gesture, Leo XIV has already hinted at the direction of his papacy: a Curia that is united, supportive, based on mutual respect, and focused on a mission that begins with the often-silent faces of those who work daily alongside the Pope.

"Popes come and go, the Curia remains." A reminder of the responsibility to "preserve and transmit the historical memory" of the Petrine ministry. For Leo XIV, memory is not merely archival: "It nourishes the present and guides the future. Without memory, the journey is lost."

With simple but incisive words, the Pope explained that serving in the Curia means "helping to keep alive the memory of the Apostolic See" so that the Pope’s ministry "may be carried out in the best possible way." This responsibility, by analogy, also applies to the civil services of the Vatican City State.

Missionary Experience at the Center

Alongside memory, the Pope emphasized the missionary dimension: "As an Augustinian religious, I was a missionary in Peru, and it was among the Peruvian people that my pastoral vocation matured." Referring to his appointment as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops ("just two years ago"), Leo XIV cited Peter’s profession of love — "Lord, you know everything, you know that I love you" — as the compass for daily service. This reference not only expresses the Pope’s humility but also highlights that, though for a short time, he has known the Curia.

His invitation was clear: to be “builders of unity” even in the corridors where gossip abounds, overcoming tensions with "patience, humility, and a good dose of humor."

A Concrete Gesture Toward Employees

Another strong and tangible signal came in recent days, when Pope Leo XIV reinstated the traditional monetary bonus for employees on the occasion of the election of a new Pope. Though symbolic, the bonus — €500 — was distributed today to Vatican workers. This tradition of the Roman Pontiffs had been abolished by Pope Francis. Bergoglio’s decision to cut this sign of appreciation was poorly understood, especially given that many employees belong to economically vulnerable and family-oriented backgrounds. Within the State, there are clear wage disparities: some lay executives earn over €5,000 per month — often without doing much besides creating fake social media accounts to defame those who report the truth about what’s happening — while many lower-level employees struggle to make ends meet. In this context, Pope Leo XIV’s attention to the simplest workers was an important and necessary gesture.

Of course, you won’t find any mention of this bonus on Vatican News: silence reigns there on anything that doesn't align with the pre-approved narrative of a lobby that sought to shape the story under the mantra: "Pope Francis good, Curia and Catholic Church bad." As we’ve explained elsewhere, a silent but evident campaign against the reigning Pope has begun. But what Leo XIV has done, unlike his predecessor, deserves to be highlighted: a concrete gesture in favor of families, dignity, and justice within the Leonine walls.

Bishops at the Pope’s Side

Also noteworthy — and previously mentioned — is the decision to seat the heads of Dicasteries or Vatican institutions without episcopal dignity below the stage. Only cardinals and bishops were present beside the Pope throughout the address. This choice underscores the sacramental value of the episcopate within the Curial structure. Among those seated below the stage were the Prefect of the Dicastery for Communication, Paolo Ruffini, and Sister Raffaella Petrini, President of the Vatican City State Governorate — both without priestly dignity.

The Bishop and His Curia

In the month dedicated to Mary, the Pope concluded with a Marian invocation: "Let us invoke the Virgin Mary together, that she may bless the Roman Curia and Vatican City, and also your families." The meeting ended with a collective recitation of the Hail Mary — a seal of communion and entrustment uniting the Pope, collaborators, and families under the shadow of St. Peter’s Dome.

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