Cardinal Fernando Filoni speaks to EWTN News in Rome on Friday, May 9, 2025. / Credit: EWTN News

CNA Staff, May 10, 2025 / 10:00 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV’s pontifical name is a reflection of his intent to lead the Catholic Church with a “clear vision” amid a turbulent world, Italian Cardinal Fernando Filoni said Friday.

The Italian prelate, who was one of the voting members of the conclave that elected Leo to the papacy this week, told EWTN News Vice President and Editorial Director Matthew Bunson in Rome that the cardinals were “surprised by the name” chosen by the new pope, born Robert Prevost.

But “it [was] a wonderful surprise,” the cardinal said.

“I asked him why he took this name,” Filoni said. “He’s an Augustinian. ... He told me: ‘In this moment, we need a man with a clear vision of the Church.’”

Filoni pointed to what was until this week the most recent Leonine pope, Pope Leo XIII, who led the Church from 1878 to 1903 during a time of great global upheaval and change.

“[It was] a moment when society was reorganizing itself, especially the social [aspects] and the work, the organization,” Filoni said.

Leo XIII worked to articulate the social positions of the Catholic Church in the midst of those transformations, including with the encyclical Rerum Novarum, which in part addressed deplorable working conditions and asserted the rights of workers.

Leo XIII has been hailed for decades as the “social pope” for those efforts. Filoni also pointed out that Pope Leo I — who served in the fifth century — is remembered as “Leone Magno,” or “Leo the Great,” and who among his accomplishments worked to clarify doctrines related to Christ’s human and divine natures.

“I think [Leo XIV] had a lot of these aspects in his heart” in picking his name, Filoni said. “And we will see it.”

The cardinal further noted the new pope’s first address to the world, which he opened with: “Peace be with you all.”

Filoni — the grand master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre — said the significance of this blessing cannot be missed, particularly in the context of ongoing unrest in the Holy Land.

“I am sure it will remain an essential part of his pontificate, but not in the sense of a sociological aspect or political aspect,” he said.

“If there is no peace of the Lord, men never will make peace,” he said. “They will make an agreement [and] after a while it will be completely abandoned. So he put at the center of peace the person of Jesus, the risen Lord.”

Pope Leo XIV addresses the College of Cardinals at the Vatican on May 10, 2025. The newly elected pontiff outlined his vision for his papacy in his first official meeting. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, May 10, 2025 / 08:15 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV met with the College of Cardinals on Saturday morning for his first official address since his election, outlining key priorities for his pontificate in the age of artificial intelligence while emphasizing continuity with his predecessors and commitment to the Church’s social teaching.

The U.S.-born pontiff, speaking in Italian, explained his choice of papal name, noting that Pope Leo XIII “addressed the social question in the context of the first great industrial revolution” with his encyclical Rerum Novarum.

“In our own day, the Church offers to everyone the treasury of her social teaching in response to another industrial revolution and to developments in the field of artificial intelligence that pose new challenges for the defense of human dignity, justice, and labor,” Pope Leo said.

The 69-year-old pope began the meeting with a prayer, expressing his gratitude to the cardinals while acknowledging his own limitations in assuming the papacy.

“You, dear cardinals, are the closest collaborators of the pope. This has proved a great comfort to me in accepting a yoke clearly far beyond my own limited powers, as it would be for any of us,” he said.

The pope specifically thanked Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals, and Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell, camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, for their service during the sede vacante period.

In his address, Pope Leo emphasized his commitment to continuing the Church’s path following the Second Vatican Council, specifically highlighting Pope Francis’ apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium as providing “masterful and concrete” direction.

The pope identified several fundamental principles to guide his pontificate, “the return to the primacy of Christ in proclamation; the missionary conversion of the entire Christian community; growth in collegiality and synodality; attention to the sensus fidei, especially in its most authentic and inclusive forms, such as popular piety; loving care for the least and the rejected; courageous and trusting dialogue with the contemporary world.”

After his prepared remarks, the Holy Father engaged in a dialogue session with the cardinals, discussing “advice, suggestions, proposals, concrete things” raised during the pre-conclave meetings.

Pope Leo concluded by quoting St. Paul VI’s hope expressed at the beginning of his pontificate in 1963, praying that the Church would “pass over the whole world like a great flame of faith and love kindled in all men and women of goodwill.”

Cardinal François-Xavier Bustillo stands outside St. Peter’s Square after the conclave that elected Pope Leo XIV. / Credit: Marco Mancini/EWTN News

Rome Newsroom, May 10, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

Cardinal François-Xavier Bustillo described Pope Leo XIV as a “solid, discreet, and good worker” and expressed confidence that the new pontiff will continue to be “bold” in addressing the needs of today’s world in comments made shortly after the May 8 conclave that elected Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as the Church’s 267th pope.

Speaking with ACI Stampa, CNA’s Italian-language news partner, on the streets of Rome, the bishop of Ajaccio, Corsica — who participated as a cardinal elector — said the College of Cardinals entered the conclave with openness to the Holy Spirit, not political calculation.

“It’s precisely this: We weren’t thinking at all about strategies or political tactics,” Bustillo said.

“We were trusting and wanted not our own good, not the good of us cardinals, but wanted the good of the people of God, and I think we succeeded in giving a good pope to the Church — and this was our objective.”

The cardinal highlighted the significance of the date of Leo’s election. May 8 is marked across much of Europe as Victory in Europe Day, commemorating the end of World War II.

“Our world needs peace — there’s too much violence in our lives, in our families, everywhere, even in international geopolitics — and so there’s a need for peace,” he said. “The pope was right to recall the meaning of peace, and the mission of the Church is to foster peace.”

When asked about similarities between Leo XIV and his predecessor, Pope Francis, Bustillo pointed to their shared pastoral outlook.

“He reminds me of Pope Francis in his contact with people, in his vision of the world, and in his understanding of the Church’s response to the world,” he said. “That’s what’s important.”

Bustillo emphasized that the conclave, which concluded in under 24 hours, was marked by spiritual clarity and fraternal unity.

“He is the pope the Holy Spirit has given us — in less than 24 hours we elected the pope, and there were neither tactics nor strategies. There was freedom and trust,” he said.

Reflecting on the Church’s challenges, Bustillo voiced hope that Leo XIV would offer meaningful guidance for a restless world.

“Faith in a world that is very materialistic, hedonistic — we need to find a spirituality, a soul, in this world that functions but does not live,” he said.

This story was first published by ACI Stampa, CNA’s Italian-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Cardinal-elect Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi during an interview CNA on Friday, Oct. 18, 2024, in Rome. / Credit: EWTN News

Vatican City, May 10, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

The election of Leo XIV was enthusiastically received by Caritas Internationalis, which expressed its support for the new pontiff and reaffirmed its readiness to walk alongside the new pope “in a spirit of service and synodality,” recognizing his election as a sign of both continuity and renewal in the ecclesial commitment to the most vulnerable.

“We offer our heartfelt prayers at the beginning of his sacred ministry and we pledge to follow and support him in a spirit of service and synodality, so that in guiding the Church, he may be a visible foundation of unity in faith and communion in charity, ‘building bridges through dialogue’ as we build a synodal Church, walking together, for greater peace and charity, close to those who suffer,” the Catholic organization said in a statement.

Caritas Internationalis also emphasized the significance of the new pope choosing to be called Leo just a few days before the 134th anniversary of Leo XIII’s encyclical Rerum Novarum, which gave rise to the Church’s social teaching.

“The choice of the name Leo is deeply significant as we approach the 134th anniversary of Leo XIII’s encyclical Rerum Novarum on May 17, a clear commitment to the social apostolate of the Church and Catholic social teaching,” the statement said.

Caritas Internationalis also stated that its mission is closely linked to charity as an essential expression of the Church’s inner being: “‘As the service of charity is a constitutive element of the Church’s mission and an indispensable expression of her very being’ (Intima Ecclesiae Natura), this new chapter invites us to renew our mission — to witness the love of Christ through concrete acts of compassion, justice, and hope for the world’s most vulnerable, with the dignity of every person at the center, hearing ‘both to the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor’ (Laudato Si’, 49).”

The president of Caritas Internationalis, Cardinal Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi, emphasized that the confederation is not just an aid agency but “a manifestation of God’s love in action.”

Along the same lines, the organization’s secretary-general, Alistair Dutton, celebrated the beginning of Leo XIV’s pontificate: “This is an exciting moment for the Church and the world. Pope Leo’s immediate identification with issues of peace, solidarity, dialogue, and charity, and particularly his commitment to people who suffer, is an early indication to his commitment to a missionary Church for the poor and social justice.”

The new pontiff, formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, has a long background in pastoral and charitable work. Born in Chicago, he served as bishop of Chiclayo, Peru, and prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops. From 2022 to 2024, he also served on the board of directors of Caritas Peru.

Sean Callahan, president of Catholic Relief Services (CRS) — a member of Caritas Internationalis — also expressed his joy at the election: “We are overjoyed by the election of Pope Leo XIV and look forward to his leadership and guidance. As the first pope born in the United States, this is a momentous occasion for American Catholics and, as the humanitarian organization for the U.S. Church, CRS is proud to mark his historic election.”

Rooted in the Gospel and Catholic social teaching, Caritas Internationalis is a global confederation present in more than 200 countries.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The Catholic community is alive, beautiful and strong, and it is up to its pastors to protect and nourish the faithful and to help bring God's hope to the whole world, Pope Leo XIV said.

For that reason, the pope invited the cardinals "to renew together today our complete commitment to the path that the universal church has now followed for decades in the wake of the Second Vatican Council," and that "Pope Francis masterfully and concretely set it forth in the apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium" ("The Joy of the Gospel"), he said May 10, in his first formal speech to the College of Cardinals.

He also said that he chose his name in homage to Pope Leo XIII, recognizing the need to renew Catholic social teaching to face today's new industrial revolution and the developments of artificial intelligence "that pose new challenges for the defense of human dignity, justice and labor." 

The pope, who was elected in a conclave of 133 cardinal electors on the fourth ballot May 8, met with members of the college, including non-electors, in the New Synod Hall at the Vatican.

Pope Leo told the cardinals that after his "short talk with some reflections," which the Vatican press office published, they would have "a sort of dialogue," which many of them had asked for, "to hear what advice, suggestions, proposals, concrete things, which have already been discussed in the days leading up to the conclave." Those discussions in the closed-door meeting were not published.

In the text that was released, the pope said the events of the past three weeks, beginning with Pope Francis' final days, his death and funeral, have allowed them "to see the beauty and feel the strength of this immense community, which with such affection and devotion has greeted and mourned its shepherd, accompanying him with faith and prayer at the time of his final encounter with the Lord."

"We have seen the true grandeur of the church, which is alive in the rich variety of her members in union with her one head, Christ," Pope Leo said. 

The Catholic Church is "the womb from which we were born and at the same time the flock, the field entrusted to us to protect and cultivate, to nourish with the sacraments of salvation and to make fruitful by our sowing the seed of the Word, so that, steadfast in one accord and enthusiastic in mission, she may press forward, like the Israelites in the desert, in the shadow of the cloud and in the light of God's fire," he said.

Because of that, the pope asked the cardinals to renew together their "complete commitment" to the church's post-Vatican II journey, which was detailed in Pope Francis' 2013 apostolic exhortation on the proclamation of the Gospel in today's world.

"I would like to highlight several fundamental points" from the document, he said: "the return to the primacy of Christ in proclamation; the missionary conversion of the entire Christian community; growth in collegiality and synodality; attention to the 'sensus fidei' (the people of God's sense of the faith), especially in its most authentic and inclusive forms, such as popular piety; loving care for the least and the rejected; courageous and trusting dialogue with the contemporary world in its various components and realities." 

"Sensing myself called to continue in this same path, I chose to take the name Leo XIV" for several reasons, he said, but mainly because Pope Leo XIII, "in his historic encyclical 'Rerum Novarum' addressed the social question in the context of the first great industrial revolution."

Today, the church continues to offer "everyone the treasury of her social teaching in response to another industrial revolution and to developments in the field of artificial intelligence that pose new challenges for the defense of human dignity, justice and labor," he added.

Pope Leo XIV, the first pope from the United States, said that, "beginning with St. Peter and up to myself, his unworthy successor, the pope has been a humble servant of God and of his brothers and sisters, and nothing more than this."

Many popes, and most recently Pope Francis, demonstrated this with his "complete dedication to service and to sober simplicity of life, his abandonment to God throughout his ministry and his serene trust at the moment of his return to the Father's house," he said.

"Let us take up this precious legacy and continue on the journey, inspired by the same hope that is born of faith," he said, reminding the cardinals that it is "the risen Lord, present among us, who protects and guides the church, and continues to fill her with hope."

"It is up to us to be docile listeners to his voice and faithful ministers of his plan of salvation, mindful that God loves to communicate himself, not in the roar of thunder and earthquakes, but in the 'whisper of a gentle breeze' or, as some translate it, in a 'sound of sheer silence,'" he said. 

"It is this essential and important encounter to which we must guide and accompany all the holy people of God entrusted to our care," he said.

Thanking the cardinals for their role as the pope's closest collaborators, he said their presence has proven to be "a great comfort to me in accepting a yoke clearly far beyond my own limited powers, as it would be for any of us."

God, too, "will not leave me alone in bearing its responsibility," he said, and he knew he would also be able to count on the closeness of "so many of our brothers and sisters throughout the world who believe in God, love the church and support the vicar of Christ by their prayers and good works."

He concluded his remarks by embracing the hope St. Paul VI expressed at the inauguration of his Petrine ministry in 1963 and he invited them to do the same.

St. Paul prayed that hope "pass over the whole world like a great flame of faith and love kindled in all men and women of goodwill. May it shed light on paths of mutual cooperation and bless humanity abundantly, now and always, with the very strength of God, without whose help nothing is valid, nothing is holy," he said, quoting the saint.

Pope Leo: A.I. inspired name choice

Pope Leo XIV met with the College of Cardinals May 10, 2025, and explained how A.I. and other technological changes inspired his choice of papal name.

Cardinal Rainer Woelki arrives at the Vatican on March 5, 2013. / Credit: InterMirifica.net

CNA Deutsch, May 10, 2025 / 04:00 am (CNA).

Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki has candidly confessed he “didn’t expect” the election of Pope Leo XIV, praising the new pontiff’s “warmth and humanity” while expressing hope for theological clarity concerning synodality.

Speaking to EWTN News after attending the new pope’s first Mass in the Sistine Chapel on Friday, the German cardinal reflected on the conclave process that yielded the Church’s 267th pope.

“I entered the conclave with all the different speculations that one could perceive in the media,” Woelki acknowledged. “But it’s usually the case that on the first evening, at the first vote, certain trends become visible — whether others have also discerned in prayer that this or that candidate might be the one called by the Lord. And that’s how it turned out with regard to the current Holy Father.”

The archbishop of Cologne expressed particular appreciation for the papal name choice, connecting it to previous pontiffs who addressed social challenges.

“I think it’s wonderful that he chose this particular name, which besides Leo the Great — who naturally has special significance for Rome — also recalls Leo XIII with Rerum Novarum and its tremendous impact,” Woelki said. “And I think, given the divisions in the world, including the social divisions we face, we depend on the pope’s voice. Just as we once relied on Leo XIII, today we rely on Leo XIV.”

Woelki, who has faced controversies in his German archdiocese in recent years, highlighted qualities he finds reassuring in the new pontiff.

“What I associate most with Pope Leo is his approachability, his humanity,” the cardinal stated. “He radiates security. That is, I believe, something that is important and beneficial here in the Vatican and in this universe.”

Profound problems persist both globally and within the Church that will require papal attention, Woelki observed. Among these challenges, he emphasized theological questions surrounding the concept of synodality as developed during the previous pontificate.

“Major issues naturally include preserving the Church’s unity in faith,” the cardinal explained. “Additionally, what Francis initiated must now be organized by him [Leo XIV] and theologically deepened, especially what Francis repeatedly understood as synodality — where particularly in Germany, but I believe also in other parts of the world, there remains considerable uncertainty about what synodality theologically really means for us.”

The Cologne cardinal also pointed to numerous international conflicts requiring papal leadership.

“Of course, there are the major crisis areas in the world,” Woelki added, “from the Holy Land to Ukraine. In this context, the pope has an important voice regarding peace, social justice, and where people are being exploited.”

Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost from the United States, was elected on May 8, becoming the first U.S.-born pontiff in the Church’s history.

This story was first published by CNA Deutsch, CNA’s German-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Americans gather in St. Peter’s Square on May 8, 2025, to celebrate the election of Pope Leo XIV, the first pontiff from the United States. / Credit: Courtney Mares/CNA

Vatican City, May 9, 2025 / 18:28 pm (CNA).

Americans gathered in St. Peter’s Square on May 8 to celebrate the election of Pope Leo XIV, the first pontiff from the United States. Born Robert Francis Prevost on Chicago’s South Side, the 69-year-old Augustinian friar was chosen by the College of Cardinals after just two days of conclave. 

While American flags were scarce among the sea of international banners, those present from the U.S. lingered in the square long after the Holy Father appeared out on the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica for the first time. They shared prayers, chants, and reflections on the unprecedented moment.  

“Never in a million years did I think that the Holy Spirit would send us a beautiful cardinal from Chicago,” said Deacon Steven Marcus, a Maronite Catholic from Florida. “You could tell by his face that he’s filled with the Holy Spirit. He’s filled with love. This is who the Church needs.” 

Moments after the white smoke rose, the crowd surged toward the front of the basilica.  

John Stadeno, a Villanova University graduate from Philadelphia, stood front and center with his friend, John Sanchez of New York, clutching an American flag and wearing a Phillies jersey and a baseball cap. Together they chanted the name of the spiritual father of the new pope’s religious order: “Agostino! Agostino!” 

“It’s an affirmation of the Augustinian way,” Stadeno said, referencing the shared alma mater with the new pope. “Prevost is a good man. He’s worked hard as a missionary, as a bishop. He’ll do a good job.” 

Sanchez added: “God bless the new Pope Leo XIV and God bless the U.S.A.” 

Brother Benedict Mary Bartsch, OP, a 29-year-old Dominican from Hawaii studying at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas, also known as the Angelicum — where the new pope is also an alumnus — expressed his awe at witnessing the event firsthand.

“It’s an amazing opportunity to be here in Rome, to be at the heart of the Church, and praying all these days for the cardinals and for the election of the new Holy Father. And to be here in the square when it actually happened, it’s just amazing.” 

Upon seeing Pope Leo XIV emerge, Bartsch observed: “He seemed like he was very moved. I mean, you could see he was tearing up a little bit. You could see that he understood the sort of weight, the burden that comes with the office, with the Petrine office.” 

Andres Novoa, 33, from the Archdiocese of Miami, held up one of the few American flags in the square. “It feels unbelievable,” he said. “The Church needs a lion. The Church needs to realize that Christ is the Lion of Judah. The Church needs to assert herself as the mother and teacher, you know, that is what the world needs. And the Church is not here to hurt anyone. It’s here to give everyone salvation.” 

Novoa joked about the unexpected turn of events: “I thought the only thing this American flag would do for us was get us beat up. And now, the last thing we expected was an American pope.” 

David Solheim, an Eastern Orthodox Christian from Phoenix, traveled to Rome for the conclave. “I came out to Rome specifically for the conclave, something I always wanted to do. Like a bucket list item,” he said. “And never thought that my first conclave would be the first American pope.”

He noted the pope’s initial reaction: “You could tell he wasn’t expecting it. He was nervous. Like, I think all of us would be up there. He seems like a genuine shepherd and pastor and I look forward to what the future holds for the Church.” 

Jerry Grogan, holding an American flag before the announcement, expressed his pride: “It’s so exciting to have someone from Chicago, my hometown, to represent the Catholic Church. I’m so proud.”

He recounted a conversation with a priest from Champaign, Illinois, also waiting in St. Peter’s Square, where they doubted the possibility of an American pope. “Lo and behold, now we have our first American pope,” he said. 

Pope Leo XIV, known for his missionary work in Peru and his role in the Roman Curia as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, brings a global perspective to the papacy. Fluent in multiple languages, including English, Spanish, Italian, French, and Portuguese, he is also reportedly a White Sox fan who enjoys playing tennis and the game of “Wordle,” according to his brother.  

“You could tell by the people that were in the square today how much they love Almighty God and how much they love our new Holy Father. Good things are happening for our Church,” Marcus said.

Pope Benedict XVI greets the future Pope Leo XIV in the Vatican Gardens. / Credit: Courtesy of the Augustinian Midwest Province (USA), Our Mother of Good Counsel

ACI Prensa Staff, May 9, 2025 / 15:53 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV had the opportunity to meet three of his predecessors at the helm of the Barque of Peter. The following are some photos of these encounters between former Cardinal Robert Prevost as a young Augustinian religious, prior of the order, and cardinal.

The Augustinian Province of the Midwest in the United States, established under the patronage of Our Mother of Good Counsel, has published several photos of his meetings with St. John Paul II and Benedict XVI.

In the first, a young Prevost, vested as a deacon, is seen greeting the Polish pontiff, likely at the conclusion of a liturgical ceremony.

In the second, St. John Paul II appears again with the young Prevost, who is wearing the black habit of the Order of St. Augustine.

He was also wearing the Augustinian habit when his photo was taken during the pontificate of Benedict XVI.

Finally, on Sept. 30, 2023, a photo was taken capturing the moment when Pope Francis made him a cardinal.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

From left, Cardinals Robert McElroy, Wilton Gregory, Blase Cupich, Joseph Tobin, and Timothy Dolan give a press conference on Pope Leo XIV in the hall of the Pontifical North American College in Rome on May 9, 2025. Cardinals Christophe Pierre and Daniel DiNardo (not pictured) also participated. / Credit: Patrick Leonard/EWTN News

Vatican City, May 9, 2025 / 14:19 pm (CNA).

The United States cardinals who were part of the conclave that on Thursday elected Pope Leo XIV, the first U.S.-born pontiff, called him “a citizen of the world,” in continuity with Pope Francis but with his own manner of doing things.

At a May 9 press conference at the Pontifical North American College in Rome following Leo’s election, seven cardinals fielded questions about participating in the conclave, the qualities of Pope Leo, and the impact of having an American pope.

While Cardinal Robert McElroy, the new archbishop of Washington, D.C., expressed surprise at the election of a U.S.-born pope, something he said he never expected to see in his lifetime, others, including Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, archbishop emeritus of Galveston-Houston, underlined that where Leo is from was of little importance to the cardinals’ decisions compared with the new pontiff’s quiet manner and missionary experience. 

Leo XIV “is a citizen of the world,” Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York underlined, and “where he came from is secondary” to what he represents now as pope and leader of the universal Church.

Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago, Leo’s hometown, emphasized the unity and common purpose of the cardinal electors, who, he said, treated one another with respect and “jelled” inside the conclave, allowing at least 89 men from many different countries and backgrounds to agree and make a decision in just 24 hours.

McElroy described an atmosphere of contemplation, from walking into the conclave to the chanting of the Litany of Saints, to coming face-to-face with Michelangelo’s “Last Judgment” on the wall of the Sistine Chapel.

“All sense of divisions within the world fell away and we were looking into the souls of each other,” reflecting on which soul had the capacity to be Christ’s vicar on earth, he said.

Like Pope Francis, Pope Leo will promote a missionary discipleship, McElroy said. Leo is “at his core a missionary. In every way a missionary giving his life for the Church.”

Cardinal Christophe Pierre, of French origin but the apostolic nuncio to the U.S., was also present in the press conference and seconded the reflection that the conclave took place in a spiritual atmosphere rather than a political one.

The archbishop emeritus of Washington, D.C., Cardinal Wilton Gregory, got emotional as he recounted pledging his respect, fidelity, and love to the new pontiff after his election. He said the former Cardinal Robert Prevost made the biggest impression on the other cardinals during small, side conversations during lunch or coffee breaks, rather than in one big speech before the whole assembly.

McElroy added that the new pope did speak during the general congregations before the conclave, but it was less about what he said and more about how he said it.

Cardinal Joseph Tobin of the Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey, shared the most evocative image from inside the Sistine Chapel.

He recalled walking up to cast one of his votes, and immediately afterward, turning and looking over toward the then-Cardinal Prevost, who had his head in his hands. 

“And I was praying for him, because I can’t imagine what happens to a human being when he faces something like [becoming pope],” Tobin said. “And then when he accepted it, [it was like] he was made for it. All of whatever anguish [he had] was resolved by the feeling, I think, that this wasn’t simply his saying yes to a proposal, but God made something clear and he agreed to it.”

Tobin, who has known Pope Leo XIV for about 30 years and worked with him when they were both superiors of their respective religious congregations, said: “I don’t think he’s one to pick fights with people, but he’s not one to back down if the cause is just.”

Tobin, DiNardo, Gregory, Cupich, and Dolan all encouraged journalists to let Leo grow into the office of pope, watching what he does and says in this new role before casting judgment.

“You can’t capture tomorrow by looking at yesterday,” Gregory said.

McElroy added that while the cardinals were looking for someone “following the same pathway as Francis,” they were not interested in choosing “a photocopy.”

Pope Leo XIV addresses cardinals in the Sistine Chapel during his first Mass as pope on Friday, May 9, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, May 9, 2025 / 13:52 pm (CNA).

In his first Mass as head of the Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV called on the faithful to “bear witness to our joyful faith in Jesus the Savior” in a world where “a lack of faith is often tragically accompanied by the loss of meaning in life.” 

Preaching in the Sistine Chapel on May 9 to the cardinals who elected him, the first pope born in the United States opened his homily in English. 

“My brother cardinals, as we celebrate this morning, I invite you to recognize the marvels that the Lord has done, the blessings that the Lord continues to pour out on all of us through the ministry of Peter,” the new pope said, speaking off the cuff.

 “You have called me to carry that cross and to be blessed with that mission, and I know I can rely on each and every one of you to walk with me, as we continue as a Church, as a community of friends of Jesus, as believers to announce the good news, to announce the Gospel.” 

He continued the rest of the homily in Italian, reflecting on the Gospel question Jesus posed to Peter: “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 

Leo XIV — the Chicago native and Augustinian missionary born Robert Prevost — said the world’s response often rejects Jesus “because of his demands for honesty and his stern moral requirements.” 

“Even today, there are many settings in which the Christian faith is considered absurd, meant for the weak and unintelligent. Settings where other securities are preferred, like technology, money, success, power, or pleasure,” he said.

“These are contexts where it is not easy to preach the Gospel and bear witness to its truth, where believers are mocked, opposed, despised, or at best tolerated and pitied,” he continued. “Yet, precisely for this reason, they are the places where our missionary outreach is desperately needed.”

“A lack of faith is often tragically accompanied by the loss of meaning in life, the neglect of mercy, appalling violations of human dignity, the crisis of the family, and so many other wounds that afflict our society.” 

The pope said this is “the world that has been entrusted to us,” where believers are “called to bear witness to our joyful faith in Jesus the Savior.” 

“It is essential to do this, first of all, in our personal relationship with the Lord, in our commitment to a daily journey of conversion. Then, to do so as a Church, experiencing together our fidelity to the Lord and bringing the good news to all,” he said. 

“I say this first of all to myself, as the successor of Peter, as I begin my mission as bishop of Rome and, according to the well-known expression of St. Ignatius of Antioch, am called to preside in charity over the universal Church (cf. Letter to the Romans, Prologue),” he said. 

“St. Ignatius, who was led in chains to this city, the place of his impending sacrifice, wrote to the Christians there: ‘Then I will truly be a disciple of Jesus Christ, when the world no longer sees my body’ (Letter to the Romans, IV, 1),” the pope said.  

“Ignatius was speaking about being devoured by wild beasts in the arena — and so it happened — but his words apply more generally to an indispensable commitment for all those in the Church who exercise a ministry of authority. It is to move aside so that Christ may remain, to make oneself small so that he may be known and glorified (cf. Jn 3:30), to spend oneself to the utmost so that all may have the opportunity to know and love him. May God grant me this grace, today and always, through the loving intercession of Mary, Mother of the Church.” 

Leo XIV offered the Mass in the Sistine Chapel, where he was elected Thursday afternoon as the 266th successor of Peter. It marked the first time Pope Leo XIV prayed the Eucharistic Prayer as bishop of Rome, saying “and me, your unworthy servant.” 

Beneath Michelangelo’s frescoes, Leo prayed the prayers of the Mass in Latin. The two readings were delivered in English and Spanish. At the end of the liturgy, he led the cardinals in singing the Marian Easter hymn “Regina Caeli,” joined by the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel Choir. 

The Vatican announced that Leo will be formally installed at a Mass on May 18 and will preside over his first general audience May 21. He is scheduled to deliver his first Regina Caeli blessing at noon on Sunday.