Canada’s new Cardinal: Church’s outreach must ‘start from the human heart’
Vatican News speaks with Canada’s new cardinal, Archbishop Frank Leo of Toronto, about the challenges facing the world today. “We need a spiritual awakening,” he said, to “bring the newness of life, of God, into the world.”
By Joseph Tulloch
Twenty-one men are created Cardinals today, Saturday 7th December, during a Consistory held in Saint Peter’s Basilica
Among them is Archbishop Frank Leo, of Toronto, Canada – who, at 53, will become one of the youngest members of the College of Cardinals.
Speaking to Vatican News ahead of the Consistory, Cardinal Leo said he was excited both about the opportunity to “serve the Pope in this new way” and to “meet the other cardinals and grow in camaraderie and in fraternity with them.
Asked about some of the biggest challenges facing the Church today, Cardinal Leon cited secularism and political polarization, as well as what the pope calls the “throwaway culture.”
The Church’s response to problems, Cardinal Léon said, must “start from the human heart” and from our relationship with God: we need a “spiritual awakening”, which inspires us to “bring the newness of life, of God, in the world today. »
The Cardinal added that, in the current context, “particular attention” to the pastoral care of families and young people is of “paramount” importance.
“It’s not easy being a young person today,” he said: “there are a lot of temptations, a lot of confusion, a lot of anxiety and fear.”
Faced with these struggles, the Cardinal said, the Church must “be a guide,” but also a listener – “we must listen with the heart, listen to what (young people) are saying and why.”
Reconciliation between the Church and indigenous groups
Finally, Cardinal Leo was asked about the reconciliation process between the Church and Canada’s indigenous groups, launched by the country’s bishops following the Pope’s visit in 2022.
He said he was “encouraged by what is being done at the local level”, stressing that there is “a new awareness of the importance of respect for indigenous people and cultures”.
Cardinal Leo also stressed the importance of the Church “walking together” with indigenous groups – a way, he said, of “working together to heal our wounded world.”
