Written by Barb Spies, OFS, Director of Mission Services and Pastoral Care

We waited for the announcement. Black smoke … black smoke … black smoke … white smoke!!! I received text messages, Whatsapp messages, and Facebook messages all while watching the live-stream. The excitement thrummed throughout the world. Such a surprise to have a US born pope who also has citizenship in Peru! I was getting ready to go to an oath of citizenship ceremony for my son who is now also a dual citizen, but of the US and Canada. It was an especially lovely moment for me to find out this information about Pope Leo XIV.

This Sunday we heard the Gospel reading where Jesus tells us that “my sheep hear my voice.” The cardinal electors are called to listen closely to the Holy Spirit during this election process. The resulting votes coming over the two-day period let us see the actions of the Holy Spirit in the voting of these electors.  

When I first heard the new pope’s name that he has taken, I was very happy. Pope Leo XIII wrote a document called Rerum Novarum in 1891. It is a call to support the dignity of workers around the world. Workers should have a decent living wage and a safe workplace. Their rights should be upheld. Children should not be used in the labor force, keeping them from education goals. Workers associations, such as unions, should be supported to promote the welfare of employees. These ideas and many more were included in this writing. That the new pope has taken the name of Leo XIV is a great testament to his views on the dignity of all, the justice necessary for workers, and the rights of employment. These concepts are upheld in Catholic Social Teaching, a great gift of the Church. They are also part of the Core Values of Felician Village and the Felician Sisters.

This missionary pope, who is part of a mendicant order in the church, gives great hope to many. Just as we prayed for the conclave process, we continue our prayers for this servant of God. We ask God to bless the new shepherd for the Church, Pope Leo XIV, that he will please God in his holiness and guide his flock with love and watchful care, especially for the sick, the poor, and the vulnerable. We pray that the Holy Spirit will hover over Pope Leo to strengthen him to be a messenger of love, peace, and unity in our world.

Blessed Angela: “Do all things with the intention of pleasing Jesus Christ.”