Pope Leo XIV is a beacon of light in our fallen world

Telegraph

12-05-2025

On Thursday evening, in the Sistine Chapel, I was standing a few paces away from Cardinal Prevost. The leader of the conclave, Cardinal Parolin, stood before him and said: 'Do you accept your election as Supreme Pontiff?' Calmly, and with great deliberation Cardinal Prevost said, 'I accept'. 'By what name do you wish to be called?' 'I am to be called Leo', he replied.
And the gathered Cardinals burst into enthusiastic applause. Then the voting papers were put into the stove and white smoke appeared to the huge waiting crowd in St Peter's Square and around the world.
Once the new Pope appeared on the balcony, the serenity that had been the key emotion of the entire conclave was transformed into elation and joy. The cries of delight came to a brief halt only while everyone shared in a prayer together with the new Pope.
Along with many other places, Rome went into festive overdrive. The party continued long into the night. On Saturday a festival of bands took place on the streets and squares of Rome, as part of the celebration of the Jubilee Year. They added to the festivities.
Pope Leo sees his role as one of service to the human family. He will stand for the dignity of every person, the need to build bridges, not walls, in the search for peace; the vital importance of faith in God in the stability of the foundations on which we build our common life; the importance of dialogue with the full range of beliefs and convictions; and the joy with which the gift of life can be filled.
His choice of the name 'Leo' itself carries rich resonances. Leo the Great, of the fifth century, was a champion of the full understanding that in Jesus of Nazareth we are given the unique presence of God together with the fullness of our human reality: Jesus the Christ is truly God and Man. Leo XIII, at the end of the nineteenth century, is the Pope who faced the challenge of the impact of the Industrial Revolution on the dignity of work and the exploitation of people.
Pope Leo XIV said he had chosen this name because the world is facing another dramatic challenge. He pointed to the development of artificial intelligence and its impact on the dignity of the person, our creativity and our fundamental freedom.
To understand the new Pope we also need to remember that he is an Augustinian, a son of St Augustine of Hippo, the great teacher and bishop of the fourth and fifth centuries in North Africa. After his dramatic conversion in 386, this Augustine became an outstanding theologian.
In Augustine's autobiography, Confessions, he explored in great depth his relationship with Jesus Christ. He wrote the well-known saying that our hearts are restless until they find their rest in God. This gave rise to the great theme of Cardinal John Henry Newman's motto Cor ad cor loquitur, 'heart speaks to heart'. This was the motto taken for Pope Benedict's visit to the UK in 2010.
All these themes will be central to the words and actions of this new Pope Leo. He will call for the greater good of all, supporting those marginalised by the economic ambitions of the powerful. He will, without doubt, speak against proposals which belittle the dignity of the person. One such proposal is the move being attempted in this country to combat fear, suffering and loneliness through offering assisted suicide. This is promoted by some in the name of dignity, yet it represents an existential threat to the most vulnerable.
He will call ceaselessly for respect for the poor and neglected, not least migrants fleeing hunger and danger. Following in the footsteps of Pope Francis, he will continue to plead for peace on behalf of all caught up in violent warfare, especially civilian populations. Indeed, yesterday, in his first Sunday address, he pleaded for peace in Gaza, where the fate of civilians is increasingly perilous, while also appealing for the release of all hostages.
And he will base every aspect of his ministry on the mercy of God towards us all, shown in the face of Jesus, and on the hope and joy to which Jesus alone can give rise in our hearts.
The story of his life which is slowly emerging, and the photographs of him as a young Augustinian priest, show a man of profound dedication, of a calm and patient disposition, as well as a man of joy with a great sense of fun. This is the Pope we have been given.
The first public words of this new Pope, as he appeared before the people of the world, were 'Peace be with you all!' Here is a champion of peace, bringing the light of Christ into our world. He is a gift to us all.