Latest news with #InternationalEucharisticCongress
Sky News AU
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Sky News AU
Albanese formally invites Pope Leo XIV to Australia during private meeting
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has formally invited Pope Leo XIV to visit Australia during a rare private meeting inside the Pontiff's official residence. For the second time in two days, the prime minister has held a quiet audience with the newly inaugurated pope. Mr Albanese presented the pope with a formal letter of invitation to the 2028 International Eucharistic Congress, which will be held in Sydney.
ABC News
19-05-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
Anthony Albanese formally invites Pope Leo XIV to Australia in Vatican meeting
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has met privately with Pope Leo XIV at the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City, formally inviting the new pontiff to Australia for a major Catholic conference that Sydney will host in 2028. Mr Albanese met Leo XIV the day after the new pope's inaugural mass in Rome, hours after the pontiff met US Vice-President JD Vance. He is the first prime minister to have a private audience with the pope since Kevin Rudd, who met Pope Benedict XVI in 2008. The ABC has been told that Mr Albanese and the pope discussed their shared concerns about conflicts around the world and the humanitarian catastrophes they have wrought. The pope also blessed rosary beads that had been owned by the prime minister's mother Maryanne, a staunch Catholic who passed away in 2002. On Sunday Pope Leo XIV called for peace in Gaza, Myanmar and Ukraine during a Sunday blessing at the end of his inaugural mass in St Peter's Square. Leo said he hoped negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv would bring a "just and lasting peace" in Ukraine and offered prayers for the people of Gaza who were "reduced to hunger" by conflict. During their meeting on Monday local time, Mr Albanese gifted the new pope a framed Indigenous artwork by artist Amanda Westley, who is part of the Ngarrindjeri clan in South Australia. The prime minister also issued a formal letter of invitation to Pope Leo XIV to attend the International Eucharistic Congress, which Sydney will host in 2028. The congress is typically held every four years, and is expected to draw thousands of Catholics from around the world to Australia. Benedict XVI was the last pope to visit Australia, for World Youth Day in 2008. The prime minister had earlier met briefly with Pope Leo XIV on Sunday after the mass and had a "very warm" discussion before their longer meeting on Monday afternoon. Mr Albanese said that during that brief discussion, the pope had "expressed his affection for Australia". He said he had told Leo that Australia's 5 million Catholics "would be watching and wishing him well". The prime minister also reflected briefly on his own personal Catholic faith and history, saying his late mother would have been delighted to see him attend the Papal Inauguration mass as prime minister. "I spoke to him about my mother [who] would be I'm sure looking down from heaven with the biggest smile she's ever had, the fact that her son was at the inaugural mass of a pope in the Vatican, was really quite extraordinary" he said. "So, for me, it was a very personal moment as well, and it was a personal discussion." The prime minister has now left Rome and will stop off in Singapore for a lightning-quick meeting with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong before returning home.
The Age
18-05-2025
- Politics
- The Age
Australia steps up bid for Pope Leo visit as PM visits Rome for inauguration
He said Australia also wanted to work with Pope Leo and the Vatican on helping Pacific Island nations, a region with large numbers of Catholics. 'Part of the role of the embassy is to elevate, in the minds of those decision makers in the Vatican, why it's so important that Pope Leo comes to Australia,' Pitt said. 'I think that this is a unique opportunity. 'So we'll take every opportunity to continue to put forward that invitation and highlight why it's important for the more than 5 million Catholics in Australia.' Australia will host a global Catholic event, the International Eucharistic Congress, in Sydney in 2028, and church leaders hope Pope Leo will attend. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on May 9, hours after Pope Leo was elected by a conclave of the College of Cardinals, that he would invite the Pope to visit Australia for the congress. Pitt is expected to have an audience with the Pope when he presents his diplomatic credentials to the Vatican, the formal step in being recognised as an ambassador to the small but highly influential state. Pitt resigned as a Nationals MP after 12 years in federal parliament when Albanese named him to the diplomatic post in February. He takes up a position role previously held by Tim Fischer, the former Nationals leader. Pitt said his priority was to act on the prime minister's invitation and make the case for the papal visit. Pope Benedict XVI visited Australia for World Youth Day in 2008 and Pope Paul VI made the first papal visit to Australia in 1970 as part of a pilgrimage across Asia and the Pacific. Pitt noted that Pope Leo's first statement as pontiff was ' peace be with you ' and said this was aligned with Australia's interest in ending conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine. Pope Leo will mark the beginning of his pontificate in Rome on Sunday with a Mass that is expected to be attended by tens of thousands of people in St Peter's Square. Albanese arrived in Rome on Friday night, local time, and was due to attend the Mass with leaders including US Vice President J.D. Vance, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. Albanese said he may be able to meet Zelensky while in Rome. Albanese will also see some of his extended family in Rome, although his office denied a news report saying he had invited his half-brother to join Australians at the Mass. Loading The Mass begins at 10am local time (6pm on Sunday AEST) and is expected to follow a visit by the Pope to St Peter's tomb in the basilica, named after the first pope. After the visit to the basilica, church leaders present the Pope with the pallium, a vestment that signifies his assumption of the papacy, and a fisherman's ring, the symbol of the first apostles being 'fishers of men' in the gospels. While Pitt was a critic of Labor policy on energy during his time in parliament, he said his task as an ambassador was to represent Australian policy on climate change to the Vatican. Pope Leo raised concerns about artificial intelligence in an address last Saturday about the threat to 'human dignity, justice and labour' from technology that could undermine humanity. Pitt said Australia and the Vatican could find some common interest in the global debate about technology given the federal government's plan to restrict social media for people under 16 and set guidelines around artificial intelligence.
Sky News AU
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Sky News AU
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Ambassador to the Holy See Keith Pitt invite Pope Leo XIV to visit Australia in 2028
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Australia's Ambassador to the Holy See, Keith Pitt, have begun lobbying for Pope Leo XIV to visit Australia in 2028. Mr Pitt, a former cabinet minister, told Sky News Sunday Agenda he has been making the case for the Pope to attend the International Eucharistic Congress 2028 in Sydney. The 2028 International Eucharistic Congress is expected to be one of the largest Catholic gatherings in Australia in recent history. If the invitation is accepted, the trip would mark the first papal visit to Australia in more than a decade. Mr Albanese and Mr Pitt will attend Pope Leo's inaugural Mass at St Peter's Basilica, where tens of thousands of people are expected to gather. The mass is expected to start at 10am local time—6pm Australian Eastern Standard Time on Sunday. 'One of my jobs will be to be out there and lobbying hard to try and get the Pope to come to Australia in 2028 for the Eucharist Congress,' Mr Pitt said. 'There'll be a lot of people there. It's an incredible opportunity. It's been a long time since a Pope has been in Australia. 'In fact that the PM will meet him today in the line up on the way out of the inauguration is our understanding. 'All of the world leaders will have that brief opportunity on the way through and I'm sure he will extend the invitation again.' Pope Leo XIV—formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost—was elected on 8 May following the death of Pope Francis on 21 April, becoming the first American to ascend to the papacy. While born in Chicago, the new Pope spent many years in Peru and has travelled extensively, including multiple visits to Australia. Mr Pitt described the new Pope as 'a very charismatic individual' and said he was similar to many Australians. 'I'm told he's been to Australia a number of times. To me, he's like many Australians,' Mr Pitt said. 'I was reminded again this morning by an archbishop that (Pope Leo) apparently loves Tim Tams.' Mr Albanese and Mr Pitt are among a host of world leaders attending the inaugural mass, including political leaders and royal families from across Europe.
Sydney Morning Herald
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
Australia steps up bid for Pope Leo visit as PM visits Rome for inauguration
He said Australia also wanted to work with Pope Leo and the Vatican on helping Pacific Island nations, a region with large numbers of Catholics. 'Part of the role of the embassy is to elevate, in the minds of those decision makers in the Vatican, why it's so important that Pope Leo comes to Australia,' Pitt said. 'I think that this is a unique opportunity. 'So we'll take every opportunity to continue to put forward that invitation and highlight why it's important for the more than 5 million Catholics in Australia.' Australia will host a global Catholic event, the International Eucharistic Congress, in Sydney in 2028, and church leaders hope Pope Leo will attend. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on May 9, hours after Pope Leo was elected by a conclave of the College of Cardinals, that he would invite the Pope to visit Australia for the congress. Pitt is expected to have an audience with the Pope when he presents his diplomatic credentials to the Vatican, the formal step in being recognised as an ambassador to the small but highly influential state. Pitt resigned as a Nationals MP after 12 years in federal parliament when Albanese named him to the diplomatic post in February. He takes up a position role previously held by Tim Fischer, the former Nationals leader. Pitt said his priority was to act on the prime minister's invitation and make the case for the papal visit. Pope Benedict XVI visited Australia for World Youth Day in 2008 and Pope Paul VI made the first papal visit to Australia in 1970 as part of a pilgrimage across Asia and the Pacific. Pitt noted that Pope Leo's first statement as pontiff was ' peace be with you ' and said this was aligned with Australia's interest in ending conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine. Pope Leo will mark the beginning of his pontificate in Rome on Sunday with a Mass that is expected to be attended by tens of thousands of people in St Peter's Square. Albanese arrived in Rome on Friday night, local time, and was due to attend the Mass with leaders including US Vice President J.D. Vance, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. Albanese said he may be able to meet Zelensky while in Rome. Albanese will also see some of his extended family in Rome, although his office denied a news report saying he had invited his half-brother to join Australians at the Mass. Loading The Mass begins at 10am local time (6pm on Sunday AEST) and is expected to follow a visit by the Pope to St Peter's tomb in the basilica, named after the first pope. After the visit to the basilica, church leaders present the Pope with the pallium, a vestment that signifies his assumption of the papacy, and a fisherman's ring, the symbol of the first apostles being 'fishers of men' in the gospels. While Pitt was a critic of Labor policy on energy during his time in parliament, he said his task as an ambassador was to represent Australian policy on climate change to the Vatican. Pope Leo raised concerns about artificial intelligence in an address last Saturday about the threat to 'human dignity, justice and labour' from technology that could undermine humanity. Pitt said Australia and the Vatican could find some common interest in the global debate about technology given the federal government's plan to restrict social media for people under 16 and set guidelines around artificial intelligence.
