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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