Church unity must be maintained despite diversity – Cardinal Re

A member of the clergy walks on the day the Dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re presides over the Holy Mass, celebrated for the election of the new pope, in St. Peter’s Basilica, at the Vatican, May 7, 2025. REUTERS/Murad Sezer

MANILA, Philippines — During his homily at the pre-conclave Holy Mass on Wednesday, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re emphasized that unity of the Catholic Church must be maintained despite diversity.

Re spoke before the 133 cardinals who are eligible to participate in the Papal race. The dean of the College of Cardinals said that the mass made them united with the People of God “in their sense of faith, love for the Pope and confident expectation.”

Noting the Gospel reading from John: “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you,” Re said that the message that Jesus calls as “new” commandment “transforms into something positive, and greatly expands.”

READ: Divided Church, divided vote: Why conclave may take longer than expected

“The love that Jesus reveals knows no limits and must characterize the thoughts and actions of all his disciples, who must always show authentic love in their behavior and commit themselves to building a new civilisation, what Paul VI called the “civilization of love.” Love is the only force capable of changing the world,” said Re in his homily.

Re then said that this love is evident at the beginning of the Last Supper where Jesus washed away the feet of the apostles, including Judas and without discrimination. Re added that this is what prophet Isaiah reminded that loving to the point of self-giving is the fundamental quality of pastors.

The Italian cardinal also said that the liturgical texts of the mass call for fraternal love, mutual help, and commitment to ecclesial communion and universal human fraternity.

“This is also a strong call to maintain the unity of the Church on the path traced out by Christ to the Apostles. The unity of the Church is willed by Christ; a unity that does not mean uniformity, but a firm and profound communion in diversity, provided that full fidelity to the Gospel is maintained,” Re noted.

Further, the cardinal said that the participants in the Papal race must set aside their personal consideration and to keep in minds and hearts the will of the God of Jesus Christ, the Catholic Church, and humanity.

He also called on to pray that the new Pontiff will know best how to “awaken the consciences of all and the moral and spiritual energies in today’s society, characterized by great technological progress but which tends to forget God.”

He added that the “[t]oday’s world expects much from the Church regarding the safeguarding of those fundamental human and spiritual values without which human coexistence will not be better nor bring good to future generations.”

After the Mass, the participating cardinals entered the Sistine Chapel as the Litany of Saints if chanted, followed by the singing of Veni Creator Spiritus to invoke guidance of the Holy Spirit.

The Papal Conclave began on Wednesday until a white smoke came, signifying that the Catholic Church has a new Pope. /cb