Paulist Fathers joyfully welcome election of Pope Leo XIV

Pope Leo XIV greets the world from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica after his election.

NEW YORK – The Missionary Society of St. Paul the Apostle (“The Paulist Fathers”) joins all those around the world joyfully welcoming the election of Pope Leo XIV.

“I am so grateful to the Holy Spirit, and to the openness of the cardinal electors to the Holy Spirit, for this historic election of Pope Leo XIV,” said Very Rev. René Constanza, C.S.P., president of the Paulist Fathers. “While he is a native of the United States, our new Holy Father’s decades of experience as a missionary and bishop in Peru will ensure he is a pope for all people.”

“As the first community of priests founded in the United States, we also are very proud that the first pope born in our country is a missionary of a religious community,” said Fr. Constanza, noting the new pope is an Augustinian.

In his greeting from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Leo XIV said, “We are disciples of Christ. Christ goes before us, and the world needs His light. Humanity needs Him like a bridge to reach God and His love. Help us as well – help one another – to build bridges through dialogue, through encounter, uniting everyone to be one single people always in peace.”

“These opening words from our new pope were so moving,” said Fr. Constanza. “They give me hope in the continuation of the Church’s commitment to be a listening, accompanying, and synodal church. I look forward to Pope Francis’ vision for the church continuing under Pope Leo XIV’s leadership. In choosing Leo XIV as his name, the pope signals a commitment to social justice and advancement of Catholic Social Teaching so desperately needed in our world.”

Fr. Constanza also said he believes that Servant of God Isaac Hecker (1819 – 1888), founder of the Paulist Fathers, “must be smiling right now.”

“Fr. Hecker believed the union of our Catholic faith and our American culture could set the world on fire with the Holy Spirit as its guide. We Paulists look forward to learning from our new Holy Father how we can more boldly and faithfully live our work as missionaries in the United States,” he said.