Vatican News speaks to Canada’s newest Cardinal, Archbishop Frank Leo of Toronto, about the challenges facing the world today. “We need a spiritual awakening”, he says, to “bring the newness of life, of God, into the world”.
By Joseph Tulloch
Twenty-one men are being created Cardinal today, Saturday 7th December, in a Consistory held in St Peter’s Basilica
Among them is Archbishop Frank Leo, of Toronto, Canada – who, at 53 years old, will become one of the youngest members of the College of Cardinals.
Speaking to Vatican News ahead of the Consistory, Cardinal Leo said that he was excited both by the opportunity to “serve the Pope in this new way” and to “meet the other cardinals and grow in camaraderie and fraternity with them”.
Asked about some of the biggest challenges facing the Church today, Cardinal Leo listed secularism and political polarisation, as well as what the Pope calls ‘throwaway culture’.
The Church’s response to the problems, Cardinal Leo said, must “start from the human heart”, and our relationship with God: we need a “spiritual awakening”, one that inspires us to “bring the newness of life, of God, into the world today.”
The Cardinal added that, in today’s context, “special attention” to pastoral care of families and of young people is of “primordial” importance.
“It’s not easy being a young person today”, he said: “there are lots of temptations, lots of confusion, lots of anxiety and fear”.
In the face of these struggles the Cardinal said, the Church must “be a guide”, but also a listener – “we need to 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 process of reconciliation between the Church and indigenous groups in Canada, launched by the country’s bishops following the Pope’s visit in 2022.
He said that he was “encouraged by what’s being done at the local level”, highlighting that there is “a new awareness of the importance of respect for indigenous persons 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”.
