I discovered we had a new pope while waking up from a nap in my airplane window seat, about thirty minutes after takeoff. Diana, seated across the aisle, was gesturing excitedly at her phone. It took me a while to figure it out, but I soon navigated the American Airlines app to access live news and found myself watching the empty balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, as commentators filled the time between the sighting of white smoke and the appearance of the new pontiff.
The election of Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, marks a historic moment as he becomes the first U.S.-born pope. Born in Chicago, he spent over two decades in Peru, serving as a missionary and later as Bishop of Chiclayo, even acquiring Peruvian citizenship in 2015. His extensive pastoral experience in Latin America and his role as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops highlight his commitment to serving diverse communities.
I have listened carefully to Pope Leo’s first statement as pope, his first homily, and a variety of news sources. From everything I’ve heard, here is what I think we can be excited about as catechumenate minsters.
“Peace be with you”: A call to evangelization
The first thing Pope Leo said was “Peace be with all of you,” which was Jesus’s message to the frightened disciples in the upper room. The context of his remarks made it clear that he was not only calming an anxious worldwide church in this time of transition and uncertainty. He was also providing a model for us, the baptized priesthood, to go and do likewise. Our first task as initiation ministers is to bring Christ’s peace to those who have lived in darkness, doubt, and fear.
Building bridges: Embracing dialogue and unity
Pope Leo emphasized the importance of building bridges through dialogue and unity, continuing a theme prominent in Pope Francis’s papacy. Pope Francis said it is the vocation of the baptismal priesthood to build bridges. “If a Christian does not build bridges, it means they forgot their own baptism, because to build bridges is part of our vocation,” said Pope Francis. Pope Leo clearly intends to make bridge building a central feature of his papacy.
A synodal church: Walking together in faith
Highlighting the concept of synodality, Pope Leo envisions a church that walks together, seeking peace, charity, and closeness to those who suffer. We were thrilled to hear this strong emphasis from Pope Leo to call us to be a Church of the Synod. As ministers of the catechumenate in our parishes, we have been providing an example of how to be a church that walks together, that seeks peace, and seeks to be close to those who suffer. We may not have called it “synodality,” but that’s what we have been doing.
Our upcoming Team Initiation speaker series on synodality will further explore this connection, emphasizing our role in fostering a participatory and inclusive church.
As ministers of the catechumenate in our parishes, we have been providing an example of how to be a church that walks together, that seeks peace, and seeks to be close to those who suffer. We may not have called it “synodality,” but that’s what we have been doing.
Social justice: Continuing the legacy of Rerum Novarum
Pope Leo XIV chose his papal name to honor Pope Leo XIII and his encyclical Rerum Novarum, written in 1891, which addressed the social challenges of the Industrial Revolution. Drawing parallels to today’s issues, Pope Leo aims to confront modern challenges such as technological advancements and social inequalities, advocating for human dignity and justice. This commitment reinforces the catechumenate’s emphasis on integrating faith with action, encouraging new disciples to engage with societal issues through a gospel lens.
Praying for our new mission and our new pope
As our plane landed and I stepped onto the jet bridge, it struck me that the world had changed while I had been sequestered in the air. I am sure Pope Leo had a much greater and more profound sense of change as he exited the doors of the Sistine Chapel.
I’ll close with Pope Leo’s final words before he left the Vatican balcony:
Let us pray together for this new mission, for the whole Church, for peace in the world and let us also ask Mary, our Mother, for this special grace.
Join the conversation
What are your thoughts about our new pope? How do you envision his papacy influencing your work with catechumens and candidates? What hopes or concerns do you have as we step into this new chapter together? Please share your reflections in the comments below. We look forward to engaging in this dialogue with you.
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I’ll be curious to see if the online and media fascination with the new Pope Leo XIV translates into a higher number of inquirers, and if so, that’s probably something our parishes should try to prepare for! I’ve unfortunately already noticed some misinformation going around, with quotes that align suspiciously well with American political categories falsely attributed to him, which means we have a greater responsibility to be well-informed ourselves. I appreciate his early focus on the joy of the Gospel!