Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Pope Leo XIV was elected, as I write this note, less than 24 hours ago. Of course, you will read these words more than a week after, and following the solemn Mass with which every pontificate begins. He is the first Pope from the United States and the first Pope to speak English with an American accent. Our parish’s many Villanova alumni will be proud of their fellow Wildcat. One commenter online wrote “He is the first Pope to have shopped at WalMart.” Putting aside the commonalities we share with him, and with an eye to avoiding a complete retelling of the facts about the Holy Father which are abundantly available in the news, I would like to offer just a few observations from my impressions of the first day of the pontificate of His Holiness, Pope Leo XIV.

1. He dressed like the Pope. While many would describe the red mozzetta and stole that he wore when introduced to the world as “ornate” or “elaborate,” I prefer to describe them as “papal.” These are things that the Pope wears. They do not point to the man but to the office, to the Petrine ministry. Besides wearing the garments, I was struck by how much he looked like a pope. This might sound strange, but it is a feeling similar to one I have had at every priestly ordination I have ever attended. A man enters his priestly ordination not yet a priest. After the bishop has laid hands on his head, the man rises and is vested with the stole and chasuble. At every ordination, it always seems to me that the man has now disappeared into the beautiful vocation of priesthood. It struck me that Robert Cardinal Prevost had disappeared into his new calling as Pope Leo XIV.
2. He spoke peace to the world in the name of Jesus Christ. There are few ways I can think of that would be a better greeting to the Church and to the world. The Pope, whoever he may be, is called to proclaim the truth of Jesus Christ risen from the dead to the whole world. Pope Leo began his ministry with that proclamation.
3. He called the Church to evangelize. In his first homily to the College of Cardinals on the morning after his election, the Holy Father spoke of the context in which we live and minister. The Church often finds herself in an environment hostile to the Gospel or indifferent to Jesus. To the Church has been entrusted the mission of bringing the Good News of Jesus Christ to this world. Our ability to proclaim the Gospel effectively, the Pope said, in our own relationship with Jesus.
4. He prayed the Hail Mary. This may seem like an obvious thing for a pope to do, but in the month of May, on a feast day of Mary (May 8 was the feast of Our Lady of Pompeii), it was fitting to have our new spiritual father lead us in prayer.

That last point bears some slightly longer commentary. Given the shared preaching goals that we priests in Fairfield and Easton are sharing in the month of May, namely, to encourage the prayer of the family rosary each day or at least each week, I could not help but be moved by Pope Leo XIV leading us in this pious invocation of Mary. The Blessed Virgin Mary is the Mother of the Church and she will watch over, guide, and protect all of us, especially when, as a Church, we call upon her intercession. The pope is the spiritual father of the whole Church, and when the father leads his family in prayer, amazing things can happen. The Ven. Patrick Peyton (the Rosary Priest) dedicated his life to calling for families to pray the Rosary together. In a particular way, Fr. Peyton challenged fathers to lead their families in prayer. Pope Leo XIV has given us a beautiful example, both of spiritual fatherhood, and of leading us in prayer to Mary, the Mother of the Church.

Peace,

Fr. Sam