Spiritual Corner -- Let us Pray for Our New Pope Leo XIV

Brothers and sisters in Christ, peace be with you!

Thanks be to God, amidst the prayers of God’s children, the Holy Spirit had led the cardinals to elect the new Christ’s representative on earth, St. Peter’s 267th successor, Pope Leo XIV.

In this election of the new Pope, we did not only experience a major event of the Church, but it also brought about great concern and news reporting from people outside of the Church. In St. Peter’s Square, various news agencies attempted to interview pilgrims from all over the world among whom were Catholics and non-Catholics. For the Catholics, they had hoped for a new Pope, full of wisdom and virtues, who would continue to lead our Church towards God, to love God and serve Him. It is a delight to find that many non-Christian religious leaders also expressed their wishes, hoping for a new Pope who would continue to bring about unity and peace in this turbulent world.

The new Pope chose Leo XIV to be his name, expressing respect to his predecessor Pope Leo XIII. Pope Leo XIII had initiated the social moralization of the Church, paying attention to issues related to social justice brought about by the industrial revolution. He issued the Encyclical “Rerum novarum (Of New Things)” in May, 1891, providing the basic principles and directions of social moral ethics. Pope Leo XIV also expects himself, in this fourth industrial revolution, facing the challenges of artificial intelligence, to provide a right path for the Church and society, and together, step onto the way of salvation. Regarding this, I wish to recommend to you the valuable message left by the late Pope Francis to the Church on the 58th World Communication Day: “Artificial Intelligence and the Wisdom of the Heart: towards a fully human communication” for an extended reading.

This is Pope Leo XIV’s Motto: “In the One (Christ), we are one” (Illo uno unum). Let us pray for the new Pope, may God grant him health, both physical and spiritual; and also grant all the necessary blessings and wisdom to his loyal co-operators administering the sacred missions.

St. Peter and St. Paul, pray for us!

Mother of the Church, pray for us!

Your Pastor,
Fr. Francis Chong