Welcome, Pope Leo XIV

The election of Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as the 267th Pope is a source of great joy not only for the United States and Peru—two nations he deeply loves—but also for the entire Church and the non-Catholic world, who were all awaiting the announcement of Peter’s new successor.

Pope Leo XIV is a man who, as an Augustinian missionary, living for many years in Peru, serving as the Bishop of Chiclayo, and traveling across Latin America, knows the necessity of this continent whose people are in physical and spiritual need. His pontificate will face many challenges, but with our prayers, he will be able to face each one of them. Pope Leo XIII (1878 – 1903) was a leader who built a bridge between the traditions of the Church and a world that is rapidly changing.

Cardinal Prevost, using Leo XIV as his name of Pontificate, is suggesting that he will work for a social justice that our society needs. The church in Latin America works for social justice based on the teachings of Pope Leo XIII and of course the other documents of the Social Teachings of the Church such as Rio de Janeiro, Medellin, Puebla, Santo Domingo, and Aparecida (Documents of CELAM [Catholic Conference of Bishops of Latin American and the Caribbean]).

Our new Pope, Leo XIV, will work for this social justice considering problems such as immigration, a problem that is not only present in the United States, but also in other nations. I, as a Latin American priest who is working in the Diocese of Rochester, am very happy seeing how the Holy Spirit is present in the Church. The first American and, at the same time, the second Latin American Pope will work for the necessity of everyone because he knows very well our reality. All of us have the mission to pray for his holiness and his great mission as the vicar of Christ on Earth.

Let us pray:

Remember, The Parish that we dream is the parish that I help to build.

God bless you, and may the Blessed Virgin Mary be with you always!

Fr. Jorge Ramirez