Pope Leo XIV has reiterated that the priesthood is reserved to men and is rooted in apostolic succession.
Addressing pilgrims in St Peter’s Square on March 25, the Pope said the Church “is founded on the Apostles, whom Christ appointed as the living pillars of His mystical Body”, adding that it “possesses a hierarchical structure that works in the service of the unity, mission and sanctification of all her members”. His remarks formed part of an ongoing catechetical series on the Second Vatican Council’s dogmatic constitution Lumen gentium.
