Pope urges new priests to be open-hearted messengers, not gatekeepers

Pope Leo XIV ordained 10 priests in St. Peter’s Basilica and urged them to keep church doors open, welcoming all as “channels of life” who go out to meet culture and people beyond parish walls, rather than acting as filters. He stressed service to a suffering humanity, highlighted celibacy as love for the Kingdom, and warned against fear and ‘thieves’ that threaten entry to the heart, tying their mission to reconciliation, peace, and responsible engagement with the world (including reflections on the Chernobyl anniversary).