Justice in the Church is a Ministry in Service of the People of God, Says Pope Leo XIV

Vatican City, March 15, 2026: At the opening ceremony of the Judicial Year of the Vatican City State, Pope Leo XIV expressed gratitude for the “discreet and quiet” work carried out by the Vatican’s judicial system.

In his first address to members of the Vatican judiciary, the Pope stressed that authentic justice cannot rely solely on positive law but must instead be understood as the “exercise of an ordered form of charity”. Drawing on the teachings of St Augustine, he described justice as a cardinal virtue that lies at the heart of both personal and communal life.

“When love is rightly ordered—when God is placed at the centre and one’s neighbour is recognised in their dignity—then the whole of personal and social life regains its proper orientation,” he said.

The Pope explained that the order of love naturally gives rise to the order of justice. Authentic love, he noted, is never arbitrary or disordered but recognises the truth of relationships and the dignity of every person.

“Theological wisdom has expressed this relationship with the affirmation that caritas perfecta, perfecta iustitia est (‘perfect charity is perfect justice’), because in the fullness of charity justice finds its most authentic fulfilment,” he said.

Justice, he added, requires respect for the rights of every person and creates space within ordered relationships for the highest fruit of love to emerge. When exercised with balance and fidelity to truth, justice becomes a powerful factor of unity within the community.

“Justice, when exercised with balance and fidelity to the truth, becomes one of the firmest factors of unity in the community,” he said. “It does not divide; rather, it strengthens the bonds that unite persons and helps to build that mutual trust which makes ordered coexistence possible.”

Reflecting on the role of justice and law in Vatican City State, Pope Leo XIV said judicial processes contribute to maintaining the credibility of institutions, not merely to resolving disputes. He highlighted several essential conditions for this mission, including observance of procedural guarantees, judicial impartiality, the right to defence, and the reasonable duration of proceedings.

Quoting St Augustine, the Pope noted: “Without justice, one cannot administer the State; it is impossible for there to be law in a State in which there is no true justice.”

By carefully examining the facts of each case, the Vatican judiciary fulfils its ecclesial mission of serving the people of God. Every proceeding and judgement, he said, must reflect the search for truth that lies at the heart of the Church’s life.

Concluding his address, Pope Leo XIV emphasised that authentic justice fosters stability and trust in society.

“May justice always be illumined by truth and accompanied by mercy, since both find their fullness in Christ,” he said. “Law, thus applied with uprightness and ecclesial spirit, becomes a precious instrument for building communion and strengthening the unity of the people of God.”

Justice in the Church is a Ministry in Service of the People of God, Says Pope Leo XIV

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