Religious Education News

The bells of St Peter’s Basilica rang out across Rome on the evening of 8 May, signalling to the world that the Catholic Church has a new shepherd. Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, the Chicago-born prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and a longtime missionary in Peru, emerged onto the central balcony of St Peter’s as Pope Leo XIV, the 267th successor of St Peter.

At 6.07pm Rome time (2.07am AEST), white smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel chimney, drawing thousands more into St Peter’s Square, where crowds had already gathered for the smoke watch. Just over an hour later, the Church’s protodeacon, French Cardinal Dominique Mamberti, stepped onto the balcony and proclaimed, ‘Habemus Papam’.

Leo XIV appeared moments later, dressed in white, and offered his first apostolic greeting: ‘Peace be with all of you.’

In his Urbi et Orbi address, the new pope echoed the peace of the Risen Christ. ‘This is the peace of the Risen Christ, a disarmed peace and a disarming peace, humble and persevering. It comes from God, God who loves us all unconditionally.’

I am a son of St Augustine, an Augustinian, who said, ‘For you I am a bishop, with you, I am a Christian.’

He paid tribute to his predecessor, Pope Francis, whose voice, he said, still resonates with the faithful. ‘We still retain in our ears that weak but always courageous voice of Pope Francis blessing Rome!’ he said. ‘Let me follow up on that same blessing: God loves us, God loves you all, and evil will not prevail!’

Taking the name Leo XIV, the new pontiff situates himself in a lineage of reformers and bridge-builders. As the first pope from the Augustinian Order, he affirmed, ‘I am a son of St Augustine, an Augustinian, who said, “For you I am a bishop, with you, I am a Christian.” In this sense we can all walk together toward that homeland that God has prepared.’

His remarks were warmly received by Catholics around the world, including here in Australia.

Source: ‘Habemus Papam’: Australian Catholics welcome Pope Leo XIV

Vicky Pejic

Religious Education Leader