Pope Leo XIV recently met with a delegation from the World Council of Churches – a fellowship that includes 356 churches representing more than 120 countries and nearly 600 million Christians.
The gathering built upon previous meetings between the pope and WCC to strengthen ecumenical ties and discuss global crises. They first met in May 2025 – shortly after the election of Pope Leo – and discussed our mutual understanding of what it means to be a “missionary church” and how we can continue to build bridges between our communions.
The WCC leaders offered their insights on the “heart to heart” discussion, which highlighted the significance of strengthening Christian unity. Among those to participate: Bishop Dr. Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, moderator of the WCC Central Committee; His Excellency Archbishop Dr. Vicken Aykazian, of the Armenian Apostolic Church, and Rev. Merlyn Hyde Riley, of the Jamaica Baptist Union, both vice moderators; and Rev. Dr. Jerry Pillay, general secretary.
Rev. Pillay, a member of the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa, spoke of the urgency of working with fellow Christians in giving visible expression to the prayer of Jesus “that all may be one.”
“We commend the pope for his commitment to Christian unity and the collaboration and spirit in which the Vatican and WCC have been working together for many decades,” he said. “[We also] reflected on what more we can do together, especially after the celebration of the 1,700th anniversary of the first Ecumenical Council last year. We mentioned the numerous places in which the WCC is currently engaged in peace initiatives.”
Another topic discussed: the wars, conflicts and violence that continue to spread across the globe. “Of course, we were immediately drawn to the attack on Iran,” Rev. Pillay said. “In this context of wars, we expressed the need for Christian leaders to work together in unity and prophetic witness as we proclaim Christ’s Gospel of peace to the world.”
He went on to explain that climate concerns and the need for collaborative action “in addressing the climate catastrophe” were discussed.
“Pope Leo responded to each of these issues, and the other matters we raised, with profound wisdom, spirituality and compassion,” Rev. Pillay said. “[The pope] reinforced what he has been saying all along about the need for visible Christian unity [in] recognizing the challenges this has – even in the Roman Catholic Church because of different and diverse views.”
Rev. Pillay continued that Pope Leo affirmed that “while our task is not to build a Christendom, Christians must work together in unity to heal and restore the world. The pope expressed his concerns about the wars and conflicts and how difficult it is to work for peace in these contexts. He emphasized the power of prayer and hope for peace.”
Bishop Bedford-Strohm, of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria, Germany, said that Pope Leo really means what he says. “Whether it is about aggressive invasion, chasing migrants or putting down whole groups of people, the churches must lift up the voice of the preacher of the Sermon on the Mount who encouraged us to practice love, even of the enemy, and advocacy for the most vulnerable in society. It was encouraging that we are united in giving this witness of love and empathy to the world in a time where division and violence seem to triumph.
He concluded, “We give thanks for a very engaging and meaningful conversation with Pope Leo and pray that our work together may bring peace, unity and healing to a broken and suffering world yet loved and blessed by God.”
Father Joseph D. Wallace is diocesan director of Ecumenical and Inter-religious Affairs and pastor of Christ the Redeemer Parish, Atco.
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