Habemus Papm!

On May 8, the Catholic Church throughout the world rejoiced when white smoke was seen billowing out of the chimney over the roof of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican. It was the sign for all the world to see that the cardinals sequestered in the Sistine Chapel had elected one of their body to the Throne of St. Peter. The anticipation and joy grew and grew in the hearts of people gathered in St. Peter’s Square and, indeed, throughout the world, as they waited to see who would walk onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica arrayed in papal attire to speak his first words as Vicar of Christ on earth to the whole world. Speculation ran wild for the next 40 plus minutes. And then he emerged—the new Pope—the former Robert Francis Cardinal Prevost—now His Holiness Pope Leo XIV.
 
The world was astounded.  He is an American by birth!  Leo XIV was born in the United States, Chicago to be precise, and served almost 20 years as Bishop of the Diocese of Chiclayo, Peru. A member of the Order of St. Augustine, he was a scholar, a theologian, a canon lawyer, a teacher, the Prefect of the Dicastery of Bishops in Rome, and most of all a missionary. Everyone was scrambling for information about Pope Leo. Who is he? What did he do? Where was he from? Those are all valid and important questions. However, none of them was the most important question about this man chosen to lead the Universal Church. A commentator on TV summed it up beautifully. Referring to the huge crowd in St. Peter’s Square who were weeping for joy, shouting “Viva il Papa!” (“Long live the Pope!”), clutching their rosaries and even jumping up and down, the commentator said, “They do not know him, but they know who he is. He is Peter!”
 
This simple comment was a powerful lesson for all of us in concerning what Catholic Faith teaches about the Pope. Every man elected Pope comes to the Throne of Peter with different strengths, gifts, talents and degrees of holiness. But, most clearly, the man is Peter for us. He is the Bishop of Rome who assumed the power of the keys that Our Lord entrusted to St. Peter, the first Pope. Jesus said to him, “And I say also unto you, that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Mt 16:18).
 
Dear Brothers and Sisters, we rejoice in the election of our new Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV and we thank God that the ministry of Peter continues. We pledge to him our love, our unfailing prayers, our filial obedience, and our support. We beg God to guard, guide, and protect him from all evil. We ask our Blessed Mother of Good Counsel, to whom he is so devoted, to keep him close to her Immaculate Heart.  For us, he is Peter in our midst!
 
Most Reverend William J. Waltersheid
Auxiliary Bishop of Pittsburgh

Photo Credit: CNS/Lola Gomez