Born in Chicago, Illinois in 1955, Robert Francis Prevost is an Augustinian who holds a doctorate in canon law. Our new Holy Father is an alumnus of the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in Rome. He was created cardinal on September 30, 2023 by Pope Francis. The Augustinians are known as a teaching order as well as a missionary order.
In the past he served in Chiclayo, Peru, where he was known both as a bridge-builder and for his outreach to the poor. He holds dual citizenship of both the U.S. and Peru.
More recently, he held the office of Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America since 2023.
In his first public appearance as Pope Leo XIV he quoted Saint Augustine: “For you I am a Bishop, with you I am a Christian“.
Perhaps not so well known as other candidates….and certainly much less mentioned (if at all), he becomes the first Pope from the U.S.A.
Although he is de-facto Pope already by virtue of his election to the papacy, Pope Leo XIV will be officially installed at a Mass in St. Peter’s Square on May 18. This Mass, which is a tradition marking the formal beginning of a new pontificate, is also known as the Mass for the Beginning of the Pontificate. Coincidentally, although it is just a coincidence, this happens to be the birthday of Pope John Paul II.
What’s in a name? Or, more importantly…..What’s in a name for a Pope?
When it comes to Popes choosing a name, there is great significance. They don’t just pick a name out of a hat, or find one that sounds good. Almost always, a new pope chooses a name that will relate to his style of governance within the Church. Leo means lion.
Pope Leo the Great meets Attila the Hun by Raphael
Interestingly, in 452 A.D. Pope Leo I (now know as Pope Leo the Great) went out alone to meet Attila the Hun, who had ravaged much of Europe including norther Italy, in an attempt to persuade him to spare Rome.
That meeting was subsequently immortalized in a fresco by the High Renaissance painter Raphael (1483-1520). The fresco now hangs in the Vatican Museums.
History shows that Attila subsequently withdrew his forces. Obviously there have been quite a few more Pope Leos….12 more in fact.
Another predecessor, Pope Leo XIII wrote 12 encyclicals on the Rosary and wrote the Saint Michael Prayer after a vision he experienced in 1884. The vision reportedly involved Satan boasting to God about his ability to destroy the Church within 75-100 years. Also, Leo XIII revived the study of St Thomas Aquinas
An interesting fact is that the date of the election of Pope Leo XIV, May 8, is The feast of Our Lady of Pompeii….the Patronage of Our Lady over the Dominican Order. .
The guessing as to what his Papacy will be like is all over the place, of course.
Our expectation is that he will probably trend a bit more traditional than modernists would have preferred and bit less traditional than the traditionalists would have preferred; although by his choice of vestments we believe he will lean toward the traditionalist side. Meantime, expect some hit pieces from the secular media as they dig through every thing he has ever said or done…..and put their spin on it.
His first homily as Pope Leo XIV gives us a clue as to the missionary emphasis of his Papacy:
“Where Christians are mocked, opposed, despised or at best tolerated and pitied is where the Catholic Church’s missionary outreach is most desperately needed” He could easily be talking about the secularization of many western nations, including the U.S.
It will be interesting to see if he moves in to the Papal apartment in the Apostolic Palace…a place where Pope Francis chose not to live, preferring the simple lodgings at Casa Marta.
One interesting quote from him that might give us a clue is when, as Bishop in Chiclayo, when he opposed a government plan to add teachings on gender in schools. He told the local news media”The promotion of gender ideology is confusing, because it seeks to create genders that don’t exist“.
And another quote: “We must be careful not to make the Church a mirror of the world. She is called to be a sign of contradiction.”
That seems very similar to Luke 2:34, when Simeon blesses Mary and speaks a prophecy about the child Jesus. He declares that Jesus is “appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against“.
On May 14 Pope Leo XIV held his first public Papal Audience, Wednesday being the traditional day for Papal public audiences.
The Conclave to elect a new Pope after the passing of Pope Francis:
After a Pope dies, we enter a period called the interregnum (Latin for “between reigns“). During the interregnum, we have no Pope and a chain of events begins to elect a new Pope. All Cardinals under the age of 80 are summoned to Rome to begin the process of electing a new Pope in what is called a Conclave. The word “conclave” is a Latin noun dating back to ancient Rome meaning a locked room, typically used to store valuables or imprison someone; and indeed, the Cardinals are in a locked room (the Sistine Chapel) during deliberations and voting.
The history of Papal Conclaves:
Far from what we see today, from the Apostolic Age until 1059, the Pope, like other bishops, was chosen by the consensus of the clergy and laity of the diocese. In 1059, the body of electors was more precisely defined, when the College of Cardinals was designated the sole body of electors.
The 1268–71 papal election in Viterbo, Italy (from November 1268 to September 1271), following the death of Pope Clement IV, was the longest papal election in the history. locals became frustrated with the prolonged election and decided to remove the roof of the building where the cardinals were locked up. This was done to pressure them into a decision. The cardinals were already confined, fed only bread and water, and the roof removal was a final push to speed up the process.
The location of the Conclave was not always fixed: the Conclave of 1314-16 was held in France, and a century later, the Conclave of 1415-17 was held in Germany.
Papal conclaves, as a legally mandated process, officially began after that in 1274 in Viterbo with Pope Gregory X’s bull Ubipericulum. Prior to this, although papal elections had been held under similar circumstances, this was the first time such a formal requirement was introduced.
The conclave typically begins between 15 to 20 days after the pope’s death. In this case, the Conclave began on May 7, 2025, following the conclusion of the Novemdiales Masses where we prayed for the eternal repose of the late Pope Francis.
The photos shown below were released by the Vatican on May 5 showing that the preparations were complete for the Conclave to begin.
Historically, most conclaves last a few days, although the longest in history started in 1268 and lasted two years and nine months. After several rule changes to speed up the process over time, the average length of a conclave since the beginning of the 20th century has been three days.
The Conclave to elect Pope Benedict XVI lasted two days, while the Conclave that elected Pope Francis was one of the shortest in history, lasting just over 24 hours, barely making it two days. The time record for the last 8 conclaves is as follows:
•1922 – Pius XI: 5 days
•1939 – Pius XII: 2 days
•1958 – John XXIII: 4 days
•1963 – Paul VI: 3 days
•1978 – John Paul I: 2 days
•1978 – John Paul II: 3 days
•2005 – Benedict XVI: 2 days
•2013 – Francis: 2 days
Of course, this is not to say that we will see a short conclave this time….it all depends upon the dynamics involved. Our best guess is 3-4 days…but our guess is as good as yours (actually, yours is probably better)
The Conclave process explained:
Marking the beginning of the Conclave, a special Mass is held in the morning in Saint Peter’s Basilica. After Mass, the cardinal electors will gather inside the Sistine Chapel, which has overseen all papal conclaves since 1858. The conclave will officially begin when the words “extra omnes” (Latin for “everybody out”) are said by the master of the papal liturgical celebrations. This expels everyone but voting cardinals from the Sistine Chapel. Per tradition, the cardinals are cut off from the outside world, including televisions, phones, computers and newspapers, which certainly fits in with the definition of “Conclave”.
The voting process at the 2025 conclave:
Most of the Cardinal-electors do not know each other (except for a few well-known officials)…in fact, they wear name tags for identification. So the time before voting becomes a brief opportunity for some of them to exchange viewpoints and get to know each other better.
There was no set day for the voting to begin; however,
Image courtesy OSVnews.com
Cardinals vote by writing on a piece of paper headed “Eligo in summen pontificem,” Latin for “I elect as supreme pontiff.” Ballots are then stuffed into an urn and counted. To validly elect a new Pope, a two-thirds majority of the electors that are present is required. If the total number of electors is not evenly divisible by three, an additional vote is necessary.
If you are looking for announcements, bear in mind the time difference between Rome and where you live. Rome time is GMT +2. So, for example, New York is GMT -4. and therefore 6 hours ahead of Rome time. (7:45 am in Rome is 1:45 pm in New York).
Three cardinals delegated as scrutineers count the ballots, ensure everyone has voted, each make a count, and then burn the ballots. A two-thirds majority is required for a cardinal to be named the new pope.
All eyes will be on the chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel:
Interestingly, the slim metal chimney is not a permanent part of the chapel and is only placed on its roof as a Conclave begins.
It is connected to two stoves..one stove used for the black smoke and one used for the white smoke.
After each vote in a conclave, if no clear winner has emerged, black smoke is released from the chimney, visible from St. Peter’s Square.
This signals that the Cardinals have not yet reached a decision and another vote will be held.
After the first day, four votes will be taken each day, twice in the morning and twice in the afternoon. Times are often shown as GMT (Greenwich Mean Time..or UTC); however times below are Eastern Standard Time in the U.S. (remember, Rome is 6 hours earlier than Eastern Standard Time. So if, for example, you live in the U.S. you will probably get the results of the final vote of the previous day along with your morning coffee…have we confused you yet?
First vote: 3:30 a.m. (9:30 am Rome Time)
Second vote: 6:00 a.m. (noon Rome time) Smoke is released for the votes 1 and 2.
Third vote: 10 a.m. EDT (4:00 p.m. Rome time)
Fourth vote: 7 p.m. EDT (1:00 a.m. following day Rome time) smoke is released for votes 3 and 4.
Although there can be four votes per day after the first day, smoke is only released twice per day, as ballots from each session (morning and afternoon) are burned together…unless, of course a new Pope has been elected.
White smoke is released when a new pope has been chosen.
At this time, the crowds in Saint Peter’s square usually erupt in to applause…and millions of Catholics around the world wait in anticipation to see who has been elected.
Just to add to the confusion for those not familiar with time zones, UTC is equivalent to GMT (Greenwich Mean Time); however, their measurements differ: GMT is measured from midday, whereas UTC is measured from midnight. UTC is the legal basis of time in the world. Not worth worrying about, in our humble opinion.
Latest Results of the 2025 Papal Conclave:
There was no set day for the voting to begin; however, on the afternoon of the first day (May 7) there was only one vote taken, and black smoke signaled that no consensus had emerged.
Black smoke rose from the chimney over the Sistine Chapel at 11:50 am (Rome time) on Thursday morning, May 8, signalling the second ballot of the first full day of the conclave – and the third ballot overall – did not elect a pope.
Black smoke again rose from the chimney on Thursday May 8 at 11:50 am (Rome time), signalling the second ballot of the first full day of the conclave has failed to elect a new pope.
We have a Pope!
On Thursday May 8, white smoke emerged from the Sistine Cbapel and we heard the words “Habemus Papam”
Our new pope is Robert Francis Prevost, who has taken the name Pope Leo IV.
Once a new Pope has been elected:
The man elected then goes in to “The Room of Tears” or “Crying Room”, a private antechamber within the Sistine Chapel where a newly elected Pope first dons his papal cassock. As you can see from the photo, there is a variety of cassocks and shoes available to fit the new Pope regardless of his measurements. You can read more here.
It’s called “The Room of Tears” because when Leo XIII was elected Pope in 1878 at age 67, he initially felt too old for the job and wept. Despite his concerns, he went on to live a long life, becoming the second-oldest Pope ever and dying at 93. The newly elected Pope often experiences the same overwhelming emotions, both joy and the weight of their new responsibility, and may shed tears in this space.
Shortly thereafter, French Cardinal Dominique Mamberti, who serves as the Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura and has been selected as Protodeacon, will get to announce “”Habemus Papam” − We have a pope − from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica. The new pontiff then goes out onto the balcony and blesses the city of Rome and the entire world.
Who will be voting in the Papal Conclave?
This is an ever-changing story leading up to the start of the Conclave, so please let us know if you have any updates.
The geographic representation is still primarily European, which is represented by 53 Cardinal electors (some of whom head Dioceses and Archdioceses in non-European countries, or serve as Apostolic Nuncios abroad or in the Curia), with Italy at 19, followed by France with 6 and Spain with 5.
Among non-European Cardinal-electors there are 37 Cardinals from the Americas, 23 from Asia, 18 from Africa and 4 from Oceania.
As of May 5, 2025, there are 252 cardinals, of whom 135 are eligible to vote in a conclave to elect a new pope. Cardinals’ eligibility is based on their age on the date of the pope’s death. According to Universi Dominici Gregis, (Pope Saint John Paul II’s Apostolic Constitution governing papal elections §33), “cardinalswho have not yet reached their80th birthday on the day the Apostolic See becomes vacant arefully eligible to participate in the conclave and to cast their vote for the new pope” .
The oldest cardinal-elector is Cardinal Carlos Osoro Sierra, the archbishop emeritus of Madrid. He is 79 years old, and he turns 80 on May 16, 2025. Had he been born just under a month earlier, he would have been too old to enter the conclave.
In an unusual turn of events ahead of the 2025 conclave, the official ages of two African cardinals: John Njue of Kenya and Philippe Ouédraogo of Burkina Faso, were recently revised in the Vatican’s official yearbook, making both eligible to participate in the election of the next pope. This was due to errors in their respective countries’ birth records. However, following a review and submission of new documentation, their dates of birth were corrected, effectively “rejuvenating” them (we like the way the Vatican names things! Wish we could do it to ourselves at times) and restoring their right to enter the Sistine Chapel as electors.
However, not all of these Cardinals will be present at the Conclave and therefore will not be voting.
Cardinals that are eligible to vote but will not be voting in the Conclave:
There are 135 Cardinals under the age of 80 who are eligible to vote; however, this number has been reduced by 2 as of now.
Cardinal Antonio Cañizares Llovera (Spain), seen as an arch-conservative will not take part in the upcoming conclave due to health concerns.
Cardinal John Njue (Kenya)will not travel to Rome, also due to health concerns.
Cardinal Angelo Becciu (Italy), the cardinal at the heart of the Vatican’s “trial of the century” announced on April 29 that he would obey the will of the late Pope Francis and was withdrawing from participating in the upcoming conclave to elect a new pope for “the good of the church.” However, we do not have confirmation of the fact that he is not in attendance.
There were false reports circulating that Cardinal Robert Sarah (Guinea) is not eligible to vote in the upcoming conclave due to his age; however, Cardinal Sarah will only turn 80 years old on June 15, 2025. Therefore, Cardinal Sarah, at age 79, iseligible to vote in the conclave (he is also considered “papabile”…..a potential candidate for the papacy).
Another arch-conservative, Vinko Cardinal Puljić (Bosnia & Herzegovina) was erroneously reported as not taking part, but has since confirmed that he will take part in the Conclave. Originally, it was reported that he would need to remain at Santa Marta; three cardinals would leave the Sistine Chapel for each vote to go to Santa Marta to collect his ballot, perhaps slowing down the vote count (although we can’t see that as much of a time-consuming task). As of June 5, he has announced that he will be joining the Cardinals in the Sistine Chapel rather than voting from Casa Santa Marta.
One participant (although not eligible to vote) will be Hong Kong’s outspoken Cardinal Joseph Zen, Cardinal Zen had his passport confiscated in 2022 as a result of his controversial arrest under a Beijing-imposed national security law. He has now been allowed to leave the southern Chinese city to attend Pope Francis’ funeral in Vatican City. Zen, a 93-year-old retired bishop, will not be eligible to vote. He is among the critics in recent years who have said the Vatican’s agreement with Chinese authorities on the appointment of bishops betrays pro-Vatican Chinese Catholics. He has also criticized Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, the official charged with negotiations with Beijing, as a “man of little faith.” With Cardinal Parolin being one of the contenders to replace Pope Francis, that makes for interesting dynamics.
The College of Cardinals announced on April 30 that all 133 Cardinal electors participating in the upcoming conclave have the right to vote for the new Pope. The above information may now be incorrect and we will try to get the exact number.
Also of interest is the fact that Cardinal Chibly Langlois, bishop of Les Cayes, will be the first Haitian prelate in the Church’s history to participate and vote in a papal conclave.
Needless to say, there was much speculation over several days as to whom would be selected….and history tells us that most, if not all, of the speculation was wrong.
Anyone trying to handicap the outcome should have remembered that Jorge Mario Bergoglio was considered too old to be elected pope in 2013 at age 76, and that Karol Wojtyla wasn’t on any front-runner lists going into the 1978 conclave that elected him Pope John Paul II. And, of course, the oft-repeated expression: “He who goes in to a Conclave as Pope, comes out a Cardinal“, suggesting that cardinals who are considered front runners or favorites are often surprisingly not chosen. So, we’re not placing any bets!
For what it’s worth, 108 of the electors were appointed by Pope Francis, 22 by his predecessor Pope Benedict and five by Pope John Paul II. You can read into that anything you wish….but, again, we’re taking no bets!
Where the Cardinals were housed during the Conclave:
The Cardinals spend the Conclave housed in private rooms in the Domus Marthae Sanctae (Martha’s House) — essentially a residence hotel in the Vatican with dining facilities that usually houses visiting clergy and laity. As noted above they are cut off from the outside world. Wouldn’t we love to listen in to the conversations over dinner?
If you were able to watch the funeral Mass for Pope Francis, you were probably struck by the white-gloved men in dark suits who were pallbearers and carried his coffin.
They were not just some randomly selected men, the were members of what is known as “The Gentlemen of His Holiness” or “Papal Gentlemen”.
The “Gentlemen of His Holiness” is a group of about 150 “gentlemen” who are lay members of the Pontifical Household. They participate in civil ceremonies and formal receptions for heads of state, heads of government and others. They are responsible for welcoming and escorting dignitaries who visit the Vatican.
The role was established by Pope Paul VI in 1968. It is a local name for the old court position of valet de chambre. The appointee is an unpaid volunteer. To be appointed is an honor.
It is a local name for the old court position of valet de chambre. Often times they are the first faces many see when visiting the Pope’s residence.
The men are part of the pope’s inner circle and are present during key events.
The men also have the duty of acting as pallbearers during a pope’s funeral (as shown here carrying the coffin of Pope Francis at his funeral).
Ever wonder about the difference between a casket and a coffin? Well, here is the difference:
The primary difference between a coffin and a casket lies in their shapeand the way they are designed for viewing the deceased.
Caskets are rectangular with four sides, and often feature a split lid that allows for viewing of the deceased’s upper body.
Coffins are typically tapered, wider at the shoulders than at the feet, have six sides and allow for viewing of the deceased’s entire body, as was the case (among others) in the funerals of Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict XIV and Pope Francis.
As we enter Holy Week, memories of Easters past tend to occupy our minds. Church on Easter morning, pretty hats and newly bought clothing, along with the arrival of dearly loved relatives, were always something to which I looked forward each year.
But, before that, camethe Easter Triduum (Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday).
I remember, as a very young child, going to Easter week services with my parents and being surprised when I went to bless myself with Holy Water but found a dry font.
I had been taught to appreciate the value of holy water and its frequent use. Many saints and religious have emphasized the use of Holy Water to ward off evil. Just one example is Saint Teresa of Avila, who wrote that she used it to repel evil and temptations, but there are many, many others.
So why were the holy water fonts in our church empty on these three days?
Well, there was a reason for that:
Each year during the Easter Triduum the practice of the Church has been to empty the Holy Water fonts on those days when the Eucharist is not celebrated any where in the world. At the Easter Vigil Mass, the water will be blessed and the fonts will be filled again.
Note: In the past some pastors expanded the practice of empty holy water fonts to include all the days of Lent. No doubt this was done with good intent…to remind people of the dryness of Lent, but in fact, this is not the accepted practice in the Church. To correct this error, on March 14, 2020 the Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship stated: “The encouragement of the Church that the faithful avail themselves frequently of her sacraments and sacramentals is to be understood to apply also to the season of Lent.”
Editors’ note: During the Covid-19 pandemic, some parishes removed holy water from their fonts as a precaution. It is the opinion of this editor that removing the holy water to prevent the spread of an airborne virus that does not survive in water was an absurd thing to do. Obviously, many did not agree with my position. What are your thoughts on the subject?
It was announced by Pope John Paul II at the end of the Great Jubilee (December 24, 1999 to January 6, 2001), that there will be a jubilee year every 25 years. Therefore, the year 2025 will be a Jubilee Year, beginning on December 24, 2024 and ending on January 6, 2026.
A Jubilee Year is a special year of grace, in which the Catholic Church offers the faithful the possibility of asking for a plenary indulgence (the remission of sins for themselves or for deceased relatives). A bit different from the secular calendar, the year starts on December 24.
Opening of the Holy Door…Courtesy Vatican News Service
The most well-known rite that starts the Jubilee Year is the opening of the Holy Door in Saint Peter’sBasilica.
These doors remain open until the end of the Jubilee, when they are once again walled up.
If you plan to travel to Rome, The Pilgrims’ Center – Info Point is the main reference place for pilgrims and tourists who want to stay updated about the upcoming Jubilee Year 2025. They are located 7 Via della Conciliazione, right near the Vatican.
The Pilgrims’ Center people can find out the main ways of participating in pilgrimages to the Holy Door and learn about preparatory events for the Jubilee, as well as find out about volunteering. It is also a distribution point for information leaflets and flyers containing basic information about the Jubilee and the various pilgrim routes round Rome such as the Seven Churches Pilgrimage, the pilgrim route of the Female Doctors of the Church and the Patrons of Europe and the Churches of Europe itinerary. A team of staff will be always available at the Info Point.
You can find out more from the official website of the 2025 Jubilee Year here.
There will be other Holy Doors for the 2025 Jubilee Year in addition to the ones in Rome.
For example, the Holy Door at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. In preparation for the 2025 Jubilee Year the Holy Door was sealed and blessed on the First Sunday of Advent (Dec. 3, 2023) at noon by Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio. There will undoubtedly be other Holy Doors in churches and shrines throughout the world for those who cannot travel to Rome…we just don’t have all the locations at this time.
The Jubilee Year 2025 Pilgrims Center in Rome:
As the Jubilee Year approaches the Pilgrims’ Center will increasingly become a welcome point for those arriving in Rome, as well as the hub for organizing bookings and access requests. It will also distribute the ‘testimonium’ ……..a certificate that Saint Peter’s Basilica issues on request, as certification of the pilgrimage to all those who have traveled at least 100 km (62 miles) on foot or 200 km (124 miles) by bicycle to Rome. This journey must be verifiable by the stamps placed on the pilgrim’s credential for pilgrims. Given its position on the Via della Conciliazione (very close to the Vatican, and one of our favorite streets) it will also serve as a reference point for all eventualities for both pilgrims and volunteers.
Been to any Catholic funerals in the last few years? I’ll bet you heard the Priest or Deacon say things like “in a better place now” or “he is with his beloved now” or some such soothing comments. Although these comments may bring some comfort to the mourners, they do not reflect true Catholic teaching.
It has been….and continues to be…. a belief in purgatory as a necessary process along the road to heaven. The Catechism of the Catholic Church on Purgatory, 1031, states:
“Purgatory” by Peter Paul Rubens (1634-1636)
The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned. The Church formulated her doctrine of faith on Purgatory especially at the Councils of Florence and Trent. The tradition of the Church, by reference to certain texts of Scripture, speaks of a cleansing fire: As for certain lesser faults, we must believe that, before the Final Judgment, there is a purifying fire. He who is truth says that whoever utters blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will be pardoned neither in this age nor in the age to come. From this sentence we understand that certain offenses can be forgiven in this age, but certain others in the age to come.
Although not pleasant ( I certainly don’t look forward to it), purgatory is a place of purification or temporary punishment in which the souls of those who die in a state of grace are made ready for heaven. At least if I make it that far I know I am on the right track!
The leaders of the Church bemoan the lack of catechesis these days, and yet often when they have the chance, they fail to take advantage of the occasion. Is it any wonder that the laity is so ignorant of Church teaching?
Did you know there are Purgatory Museums and Shrines?
After coming up with the title, which I thought would be snappy and original, I discovered this article by Father Dwight Longenecker had the same title and was written much more eloquently than my poor effort.
Born in Chicago, Illinois in 1955, Robert Francis Prevost is an Augustinian who holds a doctorate in canon law. Our new Holy Father is an alumnus of the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in Rome. He was created cardinal on September 30, 2023 by Pope Francis. The Augustinians are known as a teaching order as well as a missionary order.
An interesting fact is that the date of the election of Pope Leo XIV, May 8, is The feast of Our Lady of Pompeii….the Patronage of Our Lady over the Dominican Order. .
