A New Pope for a Wounded World

Today heaven was moved, and the world watched in suspense after the white smoke rose above the Sistine Chapel and the bells of St. Peter’s Basilica tolled aloud. Waiting with bated breath after about an hour from when the 267th Pope was elected during the second day of the conclave. There, at the balcony of St. Peter’s appeared the face of our new Roman Pontiff, the first American in history, Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost, not as a celebrity or strategist, but as a spiritual father stepping into an ancient office, the papacy.

On a day like this, it is too easy to fall into a quick commentary, review his history, and hence make conclusions as to what kind of pope he will be for us Catholics; will he be more to the left or to the right? But the Church is not a political institution; She is the Bride of Christ. What we have witnessed today is not just a moment in history; it is a mystery manifesting itself within sacred time.

This choice belongs to no men, but to the Holy Spirit.

The man here chosen today, stands in the shadow of Peter -- not to be admired, but poured out. He will suffer in silence. He will alternate between the scene of his daily intercession for the Church and the misrepresentation that will surely come with the weight of the sacred office. Yet in the “Yes” to this call, he as the Holy Father has entered into a love for the whole Church that is agape, with the Holy Spirit giving him fortitude and courage to bear the holiest burden as successor of St. Peter, who holds the keys to the kingdom.

Christ gave St. Peter the keys, which handed onto him the authority and responsibility to "bind and loose," to guide and lead the faithful with the care and love of the Good Shepherd. It is on this day that Pope Leo XIV inherits that authority through apostolic succession—not to use his position for personal gain or power, but to serve, to protect, and to shepherd the flock entrusted to him.

We know the battle that lies ahead for him in this post-Christian world, yet we are hopeful that Pope Leo XIV will reaffirm what the Church teaches with clarity and conviction. The Holy Father needs our prayers more than our opinions, our fasting more than our applause. Like Moses on the mountain, we are called to sustain him with uplifted hands—through prayer and sacrifice—not to cut him down with bitterness and chastisement on his very first day as our new Vicar in Christ.

This day does not mark the coronation of a king but the surrender of a servant. Leadership in the Church is not about prestige or titles, but about humility, living in imitation of Christ. St. Matthew in his Gospel writes: “The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted." (23:11-12)

We should allow the silence of this moment in history to stir within us a deeper love for the Church, a stronger hope in Christ’s promises, and a renewed commitment to be faithful Catholics, who will defend the faith in this wounded world that desperately needs the truth.

Let us commend him, without haste and with great tenderness, to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, who has always walked with Peter—and who now accompanies him in the quiet beginnings of this pontificate.

We pray for Pope Leo XIV as he leads the Barque of Peter through the turbulent waters of this time. As the new helmsman, he gently takes the wheel of this ancient vessel, not steering by his own wisdom, but guided by the Holy Spirit and anchored in the truth Christ entrusted to His Church.

Viva il Papa!

Image: Frayjhonattan, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons