Pope Leo XIV

Today, the Sacred College of Cardinals elected His Eminence Robert Cardinal Prevost, hitherto Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, as the 267th Pope and bishop of Rome; His Holiness has taken the name Leo XIV. He is the first American Pope, a native of Chicago, Illinois; he became a member of the Order of St Augustine in 1977, and served as the superior general from 2001-13. He then served as apostolic administrator and bishop in the see of Chiclayo in Peru, until his appointment to the Curia.

Let us pray that the new pope will be a good and loving shepherd to all the flock of Christ, and that he will be able to fulfill his duty as pastor of the universal Church with wisdom and fidelity.

Deus, omnium fidelium pastor et rector, fámulum tuum Leónem, quem pastórem Ecclesiae tuae praeesse voluisti, propitius réspice: da ei, quǽsumus, verbo et exemplo, quibus praeest, profícere; ut ad vitam, una cum grege sibi crédito, perveniat sempiternam. Per Christum, Dóminum nostrum. R. Amen.

O God, shepherd and ruler of all the faithful, look mercifully upon Thy servant Leo, whom Thou hast willed to rule over Thy Church as its shepherd; grant him, we ask, to advance in the word and example by which he ruleth, that together with the flock entrusted to him, he may come to everlasting life. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen. (The votive collect for the Pope.)