Fausto Gomez, OP
As we all know well, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost Martinez was elected Pope on May 8, 2025 in the fourth vote of the Conclave of Cardinals meeting at the Sistine Chapel (the Vatican). He chose as his name Leo XIV, right after Leo XIII, the pope that initiated powerfully and creatively the so-called Social Doctrine of the Church, which is necessary part of the teaching and practicing our Christian faith. When Cardinal Prevost Martinez (with Spanish and French/Italian roots) was elected the 267 Successor of St. Peter, he was the Prefect of the Dicastery of Bishops and the President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.
Pope Leo XIV is an American (from Chicago, born in 1955). He was ordained an Augustinian priest in 1982 and bishop in 2014. Pope Francis made him a Cardinal and appointed him Prefect of the Dicastery of Bishops and President of the Latin American Commission in 2023. The Successor of St. Peter ministered for decades in Peru, first as a missionary and later as a bishop of the Diocese of Chiclayo. He is a dual U.S.-Peruvian citizen. The new Vicar of Christ, Robert Francis is Augustinian (a friar, called “Fr. Bob” by his brothers), and therefore with a strong human, intellectual, pastoral and spiritual formation: We Augustinians, the new pope has said, “are called to live a simple life at the service of others, and in a special way to reach out to those who are poor” in different ways. (By the way, the Dominicans – and other religious men and women – remember that their fundamental Rule is also the Rule of Saint Augustine). This magnificent Rule begins thus: The whole motivation for your sharing life together is to live harmoniously in the house and to have one heart and one soul seeking God (cf. Acts, 4:42).Pope Leo XIV has a firm devotion to Our Lady, the Virgin Mary, of whom he asked her protection before ending his sermons and addresses.
The Augustinian Pope has a good integral formation. Pope Leo XIV has a Bachelor Degree in Mathematics from Augustinian-run Villanova University in Pennsylvania. (This will be good for the important dialogue between faith and science). And Master in Theology from the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. He also earned a doctorate in Canon Law from the University of St. Thomas (the Angelicum, Rome). He was professor for many years in USA and Peru. He was for twelve years Prior General of the Order of St. Augustine.
Up to May 11, 2025, Pope Leo XIV has repeated in his few oral interventions that the Church is missionary: Our Christian faith is beautiful, joyful faith in Jesus Savior. Christ the Risen Lod is the center of mission and evangelization. The urgent mission of the Church: announcing Jesus and his Gospel to all by witnessing and proclaiming the Gospel faithfully, hopefully, compassionately and joyfully. In his first Mass with the Cardinal electors in the Sistine Chapel, Leo XIV reminded them: “We are to bear witness to our joyful faith in Christ, the Son of the living God.”
The 267 Successor of the Prince of Apostles has reminded us all of the priority of Pope Francis: compassion for all, particularly for the marginalized, and thus following Christ, the poor of Nazareth, who identifies himself with the poor and needy (cf. Mt, Chap. 25).
Some basic themes which Pope Leo XIV connected directly with CHRIST, the Son of the living God, andnot the Christ of the world and of some – or many – Christians, who consider Christ as a charismatic leader or a superman, but not God/Man. The Risen Christ is “the bridge” of God’s love for us: pontiff in Latin means bridge builder. (This reminds me of St. Catherine of Siena for whom the sweet Jesus is The Bridge). PEACE: his first words to the people – to all – from the Balcony of St. Peter’s: Peace be with you all, the peace of the Risen Christ, which is the effect of justice and charity. UNITY is rooted in Christ, our light: “In the one Christ, we are one.” (His episcopal motto: “In illo uno unum”). We all are missionaries of Christ: “men and women faithful to Jesus.” The CHURCH is open to all, and is a universal home where all are invited and cared for, particularly the wounded. In the Church, all members must walk together and listen to each other: all have a voice and also a role. Pope Leo XIV quoted St. Augustine in his first address from the Balcony of Blessings of the Basilica of St. Peter: With you, I am a Christian. For you, I am a bishop. He added: Walkingwith the people as one united Church, always seeking peace and justice.
Those are a few thoughts and concerns presented by Pope Leo XIV at the very beginning of his pontificate. As we walk along, he will unveil his program and priority concerns and commitments. Someone said – as a complement – that the new pontiff is as Pope Francis dressed as Benedict XVI. He will journey partly by the path of his predecessor, but surely, he will imprint his unique style grounded on his personality and character: his American upbringing, his Augustinian integral formation of religious life, his life as a passionate missionary, and his wide experiences as shepherd of the local and universal Church, and as member of the Roman Curia.
Some of his challenges: evangelizing mission of the Church, building peace in the world (“War never again,” he cried out, echoing Pope Paul VI, in his first praying of the paschal Regina Coeli), caring for the marginalized and the poor (widening his ministry in Peru), dialogue and inclusivity, reforming the Roman Curia and the Vatican finances, continue improving the just and transparent process on the abuses of the clergy and religious, a greater participation of women and lay faithful in the government and administration of the Church, “a synodal Church that walks together, that seeks peace, charity, and draws near to those who suffer,” an economy just and fraternal, and the new challenges of developing the social doctrine of the Church for today, including in particular the new challenges of artificial intelligence.
Principal reason to elect the name Leo XIV, after Pope Leo XIII: “I chose the name Leo XIV mainly to renew the Church’s response to [Leo XIII, Rerum Novarum] the first industrial revolution, a response developed from the main principles that guide the social doctrine of the church – always -, namely, “truth, justice peace, and fraternity.”Moreover, today the Church must respond to another industrial revolution and the development of artificial intelligence, that pose new challenges for the defense of human dignity, justice and work (To College of Cardinals).
Pope Leo XIV from the Balcony of Blessings of St. Peter’s: “Without fear, united hand in hand with God and each other, let us go forward. We are disciples of Christ. Christ goes before us.” He said, “do not fear” (echoing Pope John Paul II refrain).
Thank you, Lord, for giving us a new Vicar of Christ on earth. Thank you, Pope Leo XIV, for accepting the heavy cross of the papacy. We are all contributing already our little help: our constant prayer and love for our beloved Pope, the 267 Successor of the Prince of Apostles, the Vicar of Christ: Pope Leo XIV.MAY GOD BE PRAISED, ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA.
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