Pope Leo XIV, the first North American and US-born pontiff, has captured the hearts of Catholics around the globe with his recent election. Born in Chicago, he had immediate support of 133 cardinals. On the third day of deliberation, he accepted the name Leo XIV to the delight of all. Without a doubt, his leadership comes at a unique and critical moment – not only for the Catholic Church but for the world. With his extensive history of serving the poor and marginalized, he is well positioned to put social justice at the forefront.
Pope Leo XIV’s journey to the papacy is marked by decades spent preaching in Peru after his early years in the United States. Formerly a missionary himself, he has spent his life serving marginalized communities. Yet Patrick’s fierce commitment to social justice is perhaps more remarkable in today’s context. We have urgent challenges of inequity and emergency right in front of us.
The new pontiff sure is making waves here in Australia! The first of these will be Mass at St Mary’s Cathedral in Sydney. His last visit was in 2008, when he visited Australia for World Youth Day. There, he happily broke bread and shared morning tea with First Nations communities. It is something that many Australians feel a strong and personal bond with. To them, his presence is a lighthouse in the storm.
On his last visit, Pope Leo XIV came all the way from America just to show solidarity with those experiencing emergencies. Personal touch, charisma, willingness to go directly to the people — these are the elements that have made his swagger so arresting to his fans.
Bishop Antoine Charbel Tarabey expressed optimism for the future, stating, “I will invite his holiness Pope Leo to Australia for the International Eucharistic Conference, which is being proudly hosted in 2028.” The bishop emphasized the importance of Pope Leo XIV’s commitment to social justice, saying, “He was full of hope, full of joy for all of us… he is going to give social justice the priority in his new mandate.”
Vicar General Father John Sullivan spoke of Pope Leo XIV’s encouraging spirit during dark times. “He certainly is a spiritual man. He was outstanding in pastoral care as well, giving us personal counsel as we were starting up a new mission in Korea. Sullivan remembers when they last encountered such a crisis. He flew all the way from America to cheer them on.
When news of Pope Leo XIV’s election began to circulate, Catholics rejoiced at the prospect of a more open and inclusive Church. Denny Geronimo Jr remarked, “I just hope that the Catholic Church will continue to listen to everyone and will be more open… there are heaps of things to be done, voices to be heard.”
The newly-minted pope’s centrist style has already sparked strong reactions among churchgoers. As Sydney Archbishop Anthony Fisher said, there is much reason to believe that Blessed Pope Leo XIV could be a unifier in a divided world. “I do think this pope is a very centrist kind of pope… he will be a peacemaker and unifier,” Fisher said.
Father Michael Belonio shared his joy over the new pope’s connection to his parish, stating, “So I was saying Mass this morning in the Parish and everyone was just happy in the church because most of us were aware that our new Pope has been in our parish a few times.”
The emotions inspired by the election of Pope Leo XIV are a palpable testimony to the shared yearning for renewal that exists across the Church. His own lived experience as a person with disabilities and his compassionate approach to leadership bode well for positive changes coming.
