Priests, Pastoral Leaders Have Permission to Do Less, Do It Better, Pope Says

Pope Leo XIV told clergy and lay leaders during a diocesan assembly on September 18 that they have permission to do less in order to do their work better. Speaking at the Basilica of St. John Lateran, the Pope addressed hundreds of leaders representing 334 parishes within the Diocese of Rome.

The Pope suggested that Catholics and their priests must face the truth regarding the actions and purposes of their local Church through a process of discernment and pastoral evaluation. He stated that this process is not intended to increase workloads but to improve the quality of service.

During the assembly, the Pope listened to accounts from a young woman, a couple, and a member of the Caritas team regarding the challenges and joys in their lives and work. He also referenced a diocesan report delivered to Pope Francis in 2018 concerning spiritual illnesses, noting that such work helps the Church recognize what needs to be healed, corrected, or transformed.