VATICAN: Habemus papam!
An international papal charity has expressed its joy over the election of Cardinal Robert Prevost as Pope Leo XIV – the 267th leader of the Catholic Church.
He was elected this evening (8th May) during the fourth ballot held by the conclave, which consisted of 133 Cardinal electors.
ACN (UK) national director Dr Caroline Hull was in St Peter’s Square, Rome when the election of the new pontiff was announced.
She said: “As a pontifical foundation, Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) relies heavily on the support and guidance of the Holy Father, especially on his love and prayers for all those who suffer for their faith.”
Aid to the Church in Need was elevated to a foundation of pontifical right by Pope Benedict XVI in 2011.
Dr Hull continued: “We welcome our newly elected spiritual leader, Pope Leo, and we join with Catholics throughout the world in prayer for this blessed and brave successor to St Peter.
“In his very first address to Catholics and all people of good will around the world, Pope Leo chose to focus on God’s unconditional love for all people and especially those who suffer. Viva il Papa.”
Dr Hull was in Rome with more than 1,000 supporters of ACN from 23 different countries for the charity’s jubilee pilgrimage.
As a pontifical foundation, the charity’s constitution and structures are subject to the direct oversight of the pope and the Holy See – Cardinal Mauro Piacenza is ACN’s president, a role he was given by Pope Benedict.
Philipp Ozores the charity’s international secretary general said: “ACN looks forward to continuing its service to the universal Church as well as the collaboration with Leo XIV, strengthening the Church where it is persecuted and most in need.”
Before his election as pope, Cardinal Prevost was Prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Bishops, having taken over from Cardinal Ouellet in April 2023.
Despite being born in Chicago, he spent 11 years in Peru’s Trujillo Archdiocese, including setting up a parish of which he remained pastor until 1999.
He returned to his birthplace, having been elected provincial for the region of the Augustinian Order covering the American Midwest.
He was subsequently elected Prior General of the order a post he held from 2001 to 2013.
In 2014 Pope Francis sent him back to Peru to be apostolic administrator of Chiclayo Diocese, before being appointed its bishop in September 2015.
During time in Chiclayo, ACN supported him with projects, including the formation of seminarians, missionaries and catechists, as well as with Mass stipends which in part supported missionaries working in remote parts of the Andes.
Archbishop Prevost served as vice-president of the Peruvian Bishops’ Conference from 2018 to 2023.