“We were once leaders in petroleum and gas research; now we’re becoming leaders in green hydrogen and carbon capture. This isn’t just a technological shift; it’s a spiritual one.”

Cardinal Stephen Chow, 65, the bishop of Hong Kong, was the only Chinese cardinal to vote in the conclave that elected Pope Leo XIV.

On Monday morning, Pope Leo XIV met JD Vance in the private library of the Apostolic Palace, a day after the pontiff's inaugural Mass.

At his installation Mass, the pope said, "in this our time, we still see too much discord, too many wounds caused by hatred, violence, prejudice, the fear of difference, and an economic paradigm that exploits the Earth’s resources and marginalizes the poorest.”

Leo XIV said, “the church’s social doctrine is called to provide insights that facilitate dialogue between science and conscience, and thus make an essential contribution to better understanding, hope and peace.”

Leo XIV told the ambassadors that as pope he intended “to strengthen understanding and dialogue” with their respective countries.