U.S. Catholic bishops, others hail Pope Leo XIV

U.S. bishops on Thursday hailed the election of former Cardinal Robert Prevost as Pope Leo XIV, a Chicago native and the first pope born in the U.S.A.

Cardinals elected the newly titled Leo to the supreme pontificate with white smoke billowing from the Sistine Chapel signaling the closing of the conclave with the selection of the new pope.

Pope Leo appeared before hundreds of thousands of faithful and spectators in St. Peter’s Square shortly thereafter, addressing the universal church and the world for the first time as pope.

“God loves us, all of us, evil will not prevail,” the pope said. “We are all in the hands of God. Without fear, united, hand in hand with God and among ourselves, we will go forward.”

Bishop of Brooklyn, Robert Brennan, in a podcast on the Diocese of Brooklyn website, welcomed the new pope “warmly, with great love.”

“God has given us a new shepherd,” he said. “Let’s pray for him with all our hearts.“He is a relatively young Cardinal, he gave tributes to the Augustinians, I’m a son of St. Augustine,’’ he said.

The bishop said he liked his approach of identifying with his religious order, saying, the Pope quoted St. Augustine,” with you, am a Christian, for you am a Bishop.”

Brennan also spoke about his choice of Leo, adding that he would pick a lot of the works Pope Francis did and bring a new emphasis as a missionary bishop.

Leo is a reference to Leo XIII – the last pontiff to have the name – who was head of the Catholic Church from 1878 to 1903.

Leo XIII laid the foundation for modern Catholic social thought, most famously with his 1891 encyclical Rerum Novarum, which addressed workers’ rights and capitalism at the dawn of the industrial age.

Leo could also refer to Brother Leo, the 13th century friar, who was a great companion of St Francis of Assisi, it was claimed.

Also, Detroit Auxiliary Bishop Jeffrey Monforton wrote on X “God bless our Holy Father Pope Leo XIV as he shares the joy of the Gospel with all the world.

“Together, let us fervently pray for Pope Leo XIV and his papal office.”

Kansas City, Kansas, Archbishop-elect Shawn McKnight wrote that the church “welcomes our Holy Father” with “great thanksgiving.”

Similarly, the Catholic Diocese of Arundel & Brighton, England, welcomed the election of Pope Leo XIV, the 267th Successor of St Peter and Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church.

Responding to the news, Bishop Richard Moth said: “We give thanks that under the guidance of the Holy Spirit the Cardinals have elected Pope Leo XIV.

“Pope Leo brings to the office of the Holy Father considerable experience as a bishop and pastor, including in Chulucanas.

“So, closely associated with our diocese, together with his more recent service as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops.

“His prayer for peace in his first words from the balcony at St Peter’s will resonate with Catholics and all people of good will.

“This is a significant moment for the Catholic Church and for the world, and we offer our prayers for the Holy Father as he begins his Pontificate.”

Also, Amb. Ronald Lauder, president of the World Jewish Congress (WJC) congratulated Pope Leo XIV on his election as the leader of the Catholic Church.

“The WJC’s relationship with the Holy See spans decades and is grounded in a deep, ongoing commitment to interfaith dialogue.

“This partnership has centered on shared concerns such as the welfare of Jewish and Catholic communities, the fight against antisemitism and hatred, and the defence of religious freedom around the world.

“The WJC looks forward to continuing and deepening this essential dialogue under the leadership of Pope Leo XIV. At a time of global crisis, the importance of this relationship is only heightened,” he said in a statement.

Pope Leo, the first Pope from the United States of America, was born on Sept. 14, 1955 in Chicago, Illinois.

In 1977, he entered the novitiate of the Order of Saint Augustine in the province of Our Lady of Good Counsel, in Saint Louis.

On Aug. 29, 1981 he made his solemn vows. He studied at the Catholic Theological Union of Chicago, receiving a diploma in theology.

At the age of 27 he was sent by the Order to Rome to study canon law at the Pontifical Saint Thomas Aquinas University (Angelicum).

He received priestly ordination on June 19, 1982. He received his licentiate in 1984, and was then sent to work in the mission of Chulucanas, in Piura, Peru (1985-1986); the Diocese of Chulucanas.

In 1987, he was awarded a doctorate with the thesis: “The role of the local prior in the Order of Saint Augustine”.

In the same year he was elected director of vocations and director of the missions of the Augustinian province of “Mother of Good Counsel” of Olympia Fields, Illinois.

On Nov. 3 2014, Pope Francis appointed him apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Chiclayo, Peru, elevating him to the dignity of bishop and assigning him the titular diocese of Sufar.

He was ordained a bishop on Dec. 12, at the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, in the cathedral of his diocese.

He was created and proclaimed Cardinal by Pope Francis in the Consistory of 30 September 2023, of the Deaconry of Santa Monica. (NAN)