Pope Hails Secretariat of State as Vital Global Church Hub

Vatican City, 5 June, 2025 - Pope Leo XIV has praised the Vatican’s Secretariat of State as a “hub of coordination” connecting the Holy See with the global Church, urging its officials to serve as a united and humble community, free from ambition and rivalry.

During a meeting on Thursday with the Secretariat’s curial staff, the Pope expressed heartfelt gratitude for their support, particularly acknowledging Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin for his “ongoing collaboration” as he begins his papal ministry.

“Not even a month into my service, I already see how essential your collaboration is,” said Pope Leo in an unscripted remark. “The Pope cannot go forward alone. I thank you from the bottom of the heart.”

Tracing its origins to the 15th century, the Secretariat of State has increasingly taken on a global role, acting as both an internal centre of governance and a key link with states around the world. The Pope noted that its diversity—over half of its officials are laypeople and more than 50 are women, both lay and religious—reflects the wider Church.

Describing the Secretariat as “a great community that works alongside the Pope,” he stressed their shared responsibility in carrying the concerns and hopes of the people of God worldwide.

Pope Leo underlined “incarnation” and “catholicity” as two guiding principles of the Secretariat’s mission. Just as God entered human history, he said, the Church must immerse itself in the realities and cultures of today. At the same time, its universal character should promote communion and unity among diverse peoples and local Churches.

This balance, he explained, allows the Roman Curia to support the Pope’s ministry with both a concrete and global perspective.

The Pope also recalled the curial reforms of Pope St. Paul VI, who envisioned the Secretariat as a coordinating centre for the Church’s institutions—an idea reaffirmed in Pope Francis’ 2022 Apostolic Constitution Praedicate Evangelium.

Concluding his address, Pope Leo urged the Secretariat to remain a true community of faith and service. Echoing Pope Paul VI, he said, “Let this place not be sullied by ambitions or rivalries, but be a family of the Pope’s children, dedicated generously to the good of the Church.”

Courtesy: Vatican News