Habemus Papam!

Cardinal Robert Prevost has become Pope Leo XIV. When his name was first announced, I was sure I had heard it wrong; I recognized the name but thought, “that’s an American; that can’t be right.” But it was—an American pope. I never would have thought an American would be chosen, either because American Catholicism doesn’t reflect Catholicism in the rest of the world, or because the cardinals would want to temper American dominant influence in the world. However, the cardinals have decided on an American (with strong ties in Peru), and I hope that he proves to be a wonderful leader.

Of course, I know almost nothing else about him beyond a wiki research; I tried to avoid the “most pope-able” articles and speculation. From first impressions, he seems to be very much in the line of Francis. He served for many years in Peru and has a strong affinity for reaching out to the marginalized. He has also worked in the curia and therefore is a familiar face in Rome and probably has good administrative skills in dealing with running the Vatican.

He was born in Chicago in 1955. (His two older brothers have noted that theirs was a White Sox family.) He is of French, Creole, Italian and Spanish descent. His father was a school superintendent, and his mother was a librarian. As a young man he joined the Augustinian order. He served for many years as a missionary and then bishop in Peru. Most recently, he has served as the prefect for the Dicastery of Bishops.

Taking the name Leo indicates that he, like the last Pope Leo, is concerned with the rights of workers and human dignity as well as being a witness to the faith in the face of modernity. 

He speaks several languages. During his first speech and blessing yesterday, he spoke in Italian, Spanish, and Latin. At his first Mass as pope this morning, he gave his opening remarks in English and his homily in Italian.

In his homily, he said, “In a particular way, God has called me by your election to succeed the Prince of the Apostles, and has entrusted this treasure to me so that, with his help, I may be its faithful administrator (cf. 1 Cor 4:2) for the sake of the entire mystical Body of the Church. He has done so in order that she may be ever more fully a city set on a hill (cf. Rev 21:10), an ark of salvation sailing through the waters of history and a beacon that illumines the dark nights of this world. And this, not so much through the magnificence of her structures or the grandeur of her buildings – like the monuments among which we find ourselves – but rather through the holiness of her members. For we are the people whom God has chosen as his own, so that we may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called us out of darkness into his marvellous light (cf. 1 Pet 2:9).”

Salve, Papa Leonem!

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