We have a new Holy Father; the first American pope, hailing from our Provincial territory! Born in Dolton, Illinois, in 1955 and raised in Chicago, the Augustinian Cardinal Robert Prevost is now Pope Leo XIV.
Pope Leo XIV witnesses to the wide range of realities to be considered in the life of the Church. His care for migrants and the poorest reflects his missionary years in Peru, while his vocal pro-life stance upholds the sanctity of life. He showed himself to the world clad in the garb of past predecessors St. John Paul II and Benedict XVI, showing his reverence for tradition, yet his reverence for the Church does not preclude a transparency, which facilitates healing for victims of abuse.
In proclaiming to the world the peace of the risen Christ from the balcony of St. Peter's, he communicated his love for the person he will proclaim for the rest of his life, "God loves all of us... evil will not prevail... Without fear, united, hand in hand with God and among ourselves, we will go forward."
At the end of his opening address, Pope Leo XIV led St. Peter’s Square in a Hail Mary, entrusting his pontificate to the Blessed Mother’s protection. What a powerful call for our Rosary Confraternity to deepen our devotion to Mary’s prayer, and to help others do the same!
Exciting news awaits in the coming weeks as we share plans to advance the Rosary Confraternity’s mission under our new Holy Father. We’ll promote the Rosary all across our Province, praying to support the new Holy Father with our prayers. With Pope Leo XIV, we stand at the dawn of a new age of evangelization in the American Church, speaking boldly to our culture and proclaiming the peace and unity of the Risen Christ.
Please join me in praying a Rosary for Pope Leo XIV, that Mary guide him as he shepherds the whole Church at such a crucial time. Share your joy and prayers with us, and stay tuned for updates on our Confraternity’s next steps!
Fr. James Pierce Cavanaugh, OP
Fr. Cavanaugh is Promotor of the Rosary Confraternity for the Dominican Province of St. Albert the Great.
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Photograph courtesy of CNR/Vatican Media.