The Roman Catholic community in Cayman - and globally - has marked a new chapter with the elevation of Robert Francis Cardinal Prevost as the 267th Bishop of Rome.
The 69-year-old has chosen the title of Leo XIV in honour of Pope Leo XIII, a social justice advocate who backed workers’ rights during the Industrial Revolution.
The new Pope said the church in the current era must take the lead in facing newer threats to workers.
In his first Sunday noon blessing following the tradition, he made a plea for peace, echoing his first remarks upon being elevated to the Papacy: “Peace be with all of you!” Pope Leo prayed for peace in the world, singling out Ukraine and Gaza, declaring: “Never again war.”
He quoted his late predecessor, the late Pope Francis, in denouncing the number of conflicts currently raging around the world, describing it as a ‘third world war in pieces’.
With his inaugural Sunday noon blessing falling on Mother’s Day (in line with the observation in America and many other countries) he extended special greetings to all mothers, ‘including those in heaven’.
Before that, in his acceptance address upon being elected last Thursday, signalled by white smoke from the Sistine Chapel, Pope Leo issued a homily to the church. Speaking from the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica over he said: “We have to look together how to be a missionary Church, building bridges, dialogue, always open to receiving with open arms for everyone, like this square, open to all, to all who need our charity, our presence, dialogue, love.”
The first American to fill the position, Pope Leo XIV also carries Peruvian citizenship. He was born in Chicago in 1955, ordained in 1982 and moved to Peru in 1985 where he spent 10 years as a local parish pastor and also taught at a seminary.
Comments (0)
We appreciate your feedback. You can comment here with your pseudonym or real name. You can leave a comment with or without entering an email address. All comments will be reviewed before they are published.