Habemus Papam
Official Portrait and Arms
His Urbi et Orbi
Peace be with you all!
Dear brothers and sisters, these are the first words spoken by the risen Christ, the Good Shepherd who laid down his life for God’s flock. I would like this greeting of peace to resound in your hearts, in your families, among all people, wherever they may be, in every nation and throughout the world. Peace be with you!
It is the peace of the risen Christ. A peace that is unarmed and disarming, humble and persevering. A peace that comes from God, the God who loves us all, unconditionally.
We can still hear the faint yet ever courageous voice of Pope Francis as he blessed Rome, the Pope who blessed Rome, who gave his blessing to the world, the whole world, on the morning of Easter. Allow me to extend that same blessing: God loves us, God loves you all, and evil will not prevail! All of us are in God’s hands. So, let us move forward, without fear, together, hand in hand with God and with one another other! We are followers of Christ. Christ goes before us. The world needs his light. Humanity needs him as the bridge that can lead us to God and his love. Help us, one and all, to build bridges through dialogue and encounter, joining together as one people, always at peace. Thank you, Pope Francis!
I also thank my brother Cardinals, who have chosen me to be the Successor of Peter and to walk together with you as a Church, united, ever pursuing peace and justice, ever seeking to act as men and women faithful to Jesus Christ, in order to proclaim the Gospel without fear, to be missionaries.
I am an Augustinian, a son of Saint Augustine, who once said, “With you I am a Christian, and for you I am a bishop.” In this sense, all of us can journey together toward the homeland that God has prepared for us.
A special greeting to the Church of Rome! Together, we must look for ways to be a missionary Church, a Church that builds bridges and encourages dialogue, a Church ever open to welcoming, like this Square with its open arms, all those who are in need of our charity, our presence, our readiness to dialogue and our love.
And if you also allow me a brief word, a greeting to everyone and in particular to my beloved Diocese of Chiclayo, in Peru, where a faithful people has accompanied its Bishop, shared its faith and given so much, so much, to continue being a faithful Church of Jesus Christ.
To all of you, brothers and sisters in Rome, in Italy, throughout the world: we want to be a synodal Church, a Church that moves forward, a Church that always seeks peace, that always seeks charity, that always seeks to be close above all to those who are suffering.
Today is the day of the Prayer of Supplication to Our Lady of Pompeii. Our Mother Mary always wants to walk at our side, to remain close to us, to help us with her intercession and her love. So I would like to pray together with you. Let us pray together for this new mission, for the whole Church, for peace in the world, and let us ask Mary, our Mother, for this special grace: Hail Mary…
My thoughts
We welcome Pope Leo XIV, Robert Francis Prevost—69 years old, a priest for 42.88 years, a bishop for 10.40 years, and a cardinal for only 1.6 years. (He was elevated in February of this year to the rank of Cardinal Bishop in the College of Cardinals.) He is an Augustinian missionary who served two terms as a global leader in his religious order, later becoming a missionary bishop in Peru and then Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops—helping Pope Francis appoint bishops across the world. A canon lawyer who has spoken about moving the Church forward and the importance of synodality, I believe he will help institutionalize some of Pope Francis’ legacy: harmonizing Canon Law and carrying forward a missionary spirit.
By choosing the name Leo, he evokes Leo XIII, who wrote Rerum Novarum (On the Rights and Duties of Capital and Labor, 15 May 1891). I therefore expect a renewed focus on Catholic Social Teaching, alongside his evangelizing mission. In this time of global economic upheaval, where the poor are becoming poorer, having an American pope-who is at home in both North and South America-may help challenge existing unjust economic systems. Leo XIII defended workers against the excesses of the industrial revolution. Leo XIV emerges at a similarly epoch-changing moment, as AI begins to transform society even more radically. He also used the opportunity of his first address to pray for peace.
I also found it notable that he did not use English, choosing instead to speak in Italian and Spanish. Let us pray for him and give thanks for his election.
“To serve the Lord alone and the Church, His spouse, under the Roman pontiff, the vicar of Christ on earth.”
This is how St Ignatius defines the mission of the Jesuits in our founding document. So we Jesuits welcome our new Pope, Leo XIV. You can read our Father General’s letter on the election of Pope Leo XIV here.
Listen to Cardinal Prevost
This was a recording from August 2024 of the then Cardinal Prevost having a discussion before a Mass. The video includes the full discussion and the Mass (where he preaches the homily).
Here is a 2012 interview from Pope Leo XIV on media and evangelization.
The Minutes of the Conclave
In nomine Domini. Amen. Ego Didacus Ioannes Ravelli, Archiepiscopus tit. Recinetensis, Celebrationum Liturgicarum Pontificalium Magister, munere notarii fungens, attestor et notum facio Eminentissimum ac Reverendissimum Dominum Dominum Robertum Franciscum titulo Ecc. Sub. Albanensis Sanctæ Romanæ Ecclesiæ Cardinalem Prevost acceptasse electionem canonice de Se factam in Summum Pontificem Sibique nomen imposuisse
Leonem XIV
ut de hoc publica quæcumque instrumenta confici possint. Acta sunt hæc in Conclavi in Palatio Apostolico Vaticano post obitum felicis recordationis Papæ Francisci, hac die VIII mensis Maii Anno Sancto MMXXV testibus adhibitis atque rogatis Excellentissimo Domino Ilson de Jesus Montanari, Archiepiscopo tit. Capitis Cillensis et Cardinalium Collegii Secretario, atque Reverendissimis Dominis Marco Agostini et Maximiliano Matthæo Boiardi, viris a Cæremoniis Pontificalibus.