THE Australian Catholic Bishops Conference (ACBC) has welcomed the historic election of Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as the new Pope, who will now be known as Pope Leo XIV.
Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB, President of the ACBC, extended his congratulations on behalf of the Church in Australia.
“The Catholic Church in Australia assures Pope Leo XIV of our prayers, loyalty, and joyful anticipation of his spiritual leadership.
“May his pontificate be marked by peace, unity, and a deepening of the Gospel message throughout the world.”
Archbishop Costelloe said the new pontiff brings a rare combination of global understanding and deep-rooted spirituality.
“He will be warmly welcomed by the Church in Latin America, as Pope Francis was, by the Church in the United States, from where he comes, from the English-speaking world as a native English speaker, and from the whole Church as a man of God steeped in the rich spirituality of his Augustinian Religious Order.”
Bishop Greg Homeming OCD, from the Catholic Diocese of Lismore, which includes the Mid North Coast region, described the election as a profoundly joyful moment for Catholics and people of goodwill across Australia and the world.
“The election of Pope Leo XIV is a time of great joy for Catholics all over Australia, and indeed for well-meaning people throughout the world,” he said.
“We have a new Father who gives us good reason to look to the future with confidence and hope.
“I believe this man, chosen by the Holy Spirit, will be the Pope needed in these difficult times.”
Pope Leo XIV, in his first address from the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica, offered a message of peace.
“Peace be with all of you,” he proclaimed, urging the faithful to “move forward, without fear, united, hand in hand with God and with each other.”
Archbishop Costelloe will travel to Rome for the papal installation, representing the Australian Catholic community.
About Pope Leo XIV
He is the first American-born Pope.
Choosing the name Leo XIV evokes a legacy of strength and renewal in service to the global Church.
– Born: September 14, 1955, in Chicago, Illinois.
– Religious Order: Augustinian Order (OSA). He took his solemn vows in 1981.
– Ordained: Priesthood in 1982.
– Academic Background: Theology Diploma, Catholic Theological Union, Chicago. Licentiate and Doctorate in Canon Law, Pontifical University of St Thomas Aquinas (Rome).
– Missionary and later bishop in Peru.
– Twice elected Prior General of the Augustinians.
– Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops.
– President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America
By Sis HIGGINS
