The first anniversary of the election of Pope Leo XIV #Catholic – ‘In Illo uno unum’ – ‘In the one Christ we are one’ “In a 2023 interview with Vatican News’ Tiziana Campisi, then-Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost spoke about the significance of this motto: ‘As can be seen from my episcopal motto, unity and communion are truly part of the charism of the Order of St. Augustine, and also of my way of acting and thinking,’ he said. ‘I believe it is very important to promote communion in the Church, and we know well that communion, participation, and mission are the three key words of the Synod. So, as an Augustinian, for me, promoting unity and communion is fundamental.’” Pope Leo XIV’s motto and coat of arms Do you remember where you were and what you were doing on May 8, 2025? Do you remember when you heard that “there’s white smoke,” that a new Pope had been elected? Do you remember when they announced his name (in Latin), “Cardinal Robert Prevost”? An AMERICAN Pope!! Could it be? Do you remember hearing that he had chosen the name “Leo XIV”? BISHOP KEVIN J. SWEENEY Do you remember his first words (to the Church and to the World): “Peace be with all of you! Dearest brothers and sisters, this is the first greeting of the Risen Christ, the Good Shepherd who gave his life for God’s flock. I, too, would like this greeting of peace to enter your hearts, to reach your families, and all people, wherever they are, all of the people, all over the earth. Peace be with you! Transcript of Cardinal Robert Prevost’s first speech as Pope Leo XIV I was in my office at the Diocesan Center. Someone had the coverage on a screen in the Conference Room, and employees were going in and out, waiting for the announcement. “An American Pope (from Chicago)!!” There was great joy as we heard the news and when he (finally) came out on the balcony. I felt blessed and grateful that I would be able to share the joy and excitement at two Masses that afternoon and evening. I concelebrated Mass with Bishop Elias Lorenzo, of the Archdiocese of Newark, at St. Teresa of Avila Parish in Summit, “… to mark the start of renovations to Several Sources Shelters’ original home for pregnant women in Ramsey. The facility has been renamed Kathy’s House, after Kathy DiFiore, Several Sources’ founder.”    Providentially, on the evening of May 8, 2025, I was scheduled to celebrate Confirmation at the Parish of St. Peter, the Apostle in Parsippany – what a joy to be able to celebrate Mass and the Sacrament of Confirmation at a parish dedicated to the “first Pope” just a few hours after the Church and the world received the 267th Pope, in the line of St. Peter. As we look forward to the first Anniversary of Pope Leo XIV’s election and we look back at the first year of his Pontificate, there is so much that we can discuss, reflect upon, and for which we can be grateful. In my own prayer and reflection, I wonder if we have given sufficient thought and consideration to his motto and his choice of name? As I wrote this column, I was happy to find the article and quote (cited above), which recounts Cardinal Prevost commenting on his “episcopal motto” – the motto he chose when he was named as a bishop (and which he kept when elected as Pope). We have seen and heard Pope Leo XIV striving to promote unity, peace, and communion. In a world which seems to be more and more divided and in our Church that struggles to find and live the unity that Jesus prayed for at the Last Supper: “I pray not only for them, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me.” Jn. 17:20-21, I believe that the Holy Spirit has given us a Holy Father who will do all that he can to bring unity to the Church and to the human family. I believe that we have been blessed by his efforts, words, and ministry during this past year, especially as he calls us to pray and work for peace and unity. He continually invites us to reflect on the words and message of his motto, “In the one Christ, we are one.” I would like to take a slightly different approach in offering my thoughts on the Holy Father’s choice of a name, Leo XIV. When I searched online to find Pope Leo’s comments on why he chose the name, I found it interesting that the first entry I found was a Vatican post on “X” (formerly known as Twitter): Pope Leo XIV explains his choice of name: “… I chose to take the name Leo XIV. There are different reasons for this, but mainly because Pope Leo XIII in his historic Encyclical Rerum Novarum addressed the social question in the context of the first great industrial revolution. In our own day, the Church offers to everyone the treasury of her social teaching in response to another industrial revolution and to developments in the field of artificial intelligence that pose new challenges for the defence of human dignity, justice and labour.” https://x.com/VaticanNews/status/1921186921838997935   Since the Holy Father mentions “the field of artificial intelligence…”, I thought I would go to that “field” and see how Google’s AI would “respond” to the request for: “A 2-page summary of the highlights and significant moments of the first year of the Pontificate of Pope Leo XIV.” Here’s the response I received: • • • The first year of the pontificate of Pope Leo XIV (elected Robert Francis Prevost on May 8, 2025) has been defined by his status as the first American-born pope and a pastoral style rooted in his decades of missionary work in Peru. His initial year focused on unity, Marian devotion, and addressing modern social challenges like artificial intelligence and migration. [1, 2, 3, 4] Election and Immediate Impact A Historic “First”: Elected on May 8, 2025, after four rounds of voting, Chicago-born Robert Francis Prevost became the 267th leader of the Roman Catholic Church and its first North American pontiff. The Choice of Name: He chose the name Leo XIV to honor Pope Leo XIII, specifically referencing the 1891 encyclical Rerum Novarum. This choice signaled a focus on Catholic social teaching in the face of a “new industrial revolution” driven by AI. Inaugural Message: From the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, his first public words were “Peace be with all of you!” He emphasized a “Jesus-centric” approach, focusing on Christ’s identity rather than papal authority. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6] Key Pastoral and Diplomatic Moments International Travels: Turkey (November 2025): His first international trip included a visit to the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, marking a significant moment for interreligious dialogue. Lebanon: He visited Beirut to console families affected by the 2020 explosion and celebrated Mass for roughly 150,000 people, urging the nation to be a “prophetic sign of peace”. Advocacy for Peace and Dignity: Ukraine and Gaza: Leo XIV has repeatedly called for a ceasefire in Ukraine—meeting with President Zelenskyy three times—and offered public prayers for those suffering in Gaza. Migration: Drawing on his missionary background, he has advocated for the humane treatment of immigrants and criticized economic systems that marginalize the poor. First Priestly Ordination: On May 11, 2025, he performed his first ordinations, emphasizing that priests must be “credible” witnesses to rebuild a “wounded Church”. [1, 2, 3] Vision for the Church Synodality and Reform: Observers noted continuity with Pope Francis’s emphasis on synodality (walking together) while detecting a more centrist doctrinal tone. Engagement with Modernity: In his Wednesday General Audiences, he began a new series of catechises dedicated to rereading the documents of the Second Vatican Council to ensure their content is understood directly rather than through interpretations. Social Justice: He has maintained a strong pro-life stance while backing death penalty abolitionists and condemning war and aggressive nationalism. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7] Would you like to explore specific encyclicals he has released or more details on his appointments to the Vatican’s central administration? • • • Not bad!! In some sense, this is a good summary of the highlights and significant moments of the first year of Pope Leo XIV’s pontificate. One danger of AI may be the temptation to think that this summary even begins to truly describe the meaning, significance, and impact of who Pope Leo XIV is as the “Vicar of Christ” on earth. Let us again consider his words describing why he chose “Leo XIV”: In our own day, the Church offers to everyone the treasury of her social teaching in response to another industrial revolution and to developments in the field of artificial intelligence that pose new challenges for the defence of human dignity, justice and labour.”  Let us continue to pray for Pope Leo XIV as he leads the Church in “offering everyone the treasury of her social teaching… (and in) the defense of human dignity, justice, and labor.”  

‘In Illo uno unum’ – ‘In the one Christ we are one’

“In a 2023 interview with Vatican News’ Tiziana Campisi, then-Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost spoke about the significance of this motto: ‘As can be seen from my episcopal motto, unity and communion are truly part of the charism of the Order of St. Augustine, and also of my way of acting and thinking,’ he said. ‘I believe it is very important to promote communion in the Church, and we know well that communion, participation, and mission are the three key words of the Synod. So, as an Augustinian, for me, promoting unity and communion is fundamental.’”

Pope Leo XIV’s motto and coat of arms

Do you remember where you were and what you were doing on May 8, 2025? Do you remember when you heard that “there’s white smoke,” that a new Pope had been elected? Do you remember when they announced his name (in Latin), “Cardinal Robert Prevost”? An AMERICAN Pope!! Could it be? Do you remember hearing that he had chosen the name “Leo XIV”?

BISHOP KEVIN J. SWEENEY

Do you remember his first words (to the Church and to the World): “Peace be with all of you!
Dearest brothers and sisters, this is the first greeting of the Risen Christ, the Good Shepherd who gave his life for God’s flock.

I, too, would like this greeting of peace to enter your hearts, to reach your families, and all people, wherever they are, all of the people, all over the earth. Peace be with you! Transcript of Cardinal Robert Prevost’s first speech as Pope Leo XIV

I was in my office at the Diocesan Center. Someone had the coverage on a screen in the Conference Room, and employees were going in and out, waiting for the announcement. “An American Pope (from Chicago)!!” There was great joy as we heard the news and when he (finally) came out on the balcony.

I felt blessed and grateful that I would be able to share the joy and excitement at two Masses that afternoon and evening. I concelebrated Mass with Bishop Elias Lorenzo, of the Archdiocese of Newark, at St. Teresa of Avila Parish in Summit, “… to mark the start of renovations to Several Sources Shelters’ original home for pregnant women in Ramsey. The facility has been renamed Kathy’s House, after Kathy DiFiore, Several Sources’ founder.”   

Providentially, on the evening of May 8, 2025, I was scheduled to celebrate Confirmation at the Parish of St. Peter, the Apostle in Parsippany – what a joy to be able to celebrate Mass and the Sacrament of Confirmation at a parish dedicated to the “first Pope” just a few hours after the Church and the world received the 267th Pope, in the line of St. Peter.

As we look forward to the first Anniversary of Pope Leo XIV’s election and we look back at the first year of his Pontificate, there is so much that we can discuss, reflect upon, and for which we can be grateful.

In my own prayer and reflection, I wonder if we have given sufficient thought and consideration to his motto and his choice of name? As I wrote this column, I was happy to find the article and quote (cited above), which recounts Cardinal Prevost commenting on his “episcopal motto” – the motto he chose when he was named as a bishop (and which he kept when elected as Pope). We have seen and heard Pope Leo XIV striving to promote unity, peace, and communion.

In a world which seems to be more and more divided and in our Church that struggles to find and live the unity that Jesus prayed for at the Last Supper: “I pray not only for them, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me.” Jn. 17:20-21, I believe that the Holy Spirit has given us a Holy Father who will do all that he can to bring unity to the Church and to the human family. I believe that we have been blessed by his efforts, words, and ministry during this past year, especially as he calls us to pray and work for peace and unity. He continually invites us to reflect on the words and message of his motto, “In the one Christ, we are one.”

I would like to take a slightly different approach in offering my thoughts on the Holy Father’s choice of a name, Leo XIV. When I searched online to find Pope Leo’s comments on why he chose the name, I found it interesting that the first entry I found was a Vatican post on “X” (formerly known as Twitter):

Pope Leo XIV explains his choice of name: “… I chose to take the name Leo XIV. There are different reasons for this, but mainly because Pope Leo XIII in his historic Encyclical Rerum Novarum addressed the social question in the context of the first great industrial revolution. In our own day, the Church offers to everyone the treasury of her social teaching in response to another industrial revolution and to developments in the field of artificial intelligence that pose new challenges for the defence of human dignity, justice and labour.” https://x.com/VaticanNews/status/1921186921838997935  

Since the Holy Father mentions “the field of artificial intelligence…”, I thought I would go to that “field” and see how Google’s AI would “respond” to the request for: “A 2-page summary of the highlights and significant moments of the first year of the Pontificate of Pope Leo XIV.”

Here’s the response I received:

• • •

The first year of the pontificate of Pope Leo XIV (elected Robert Francis Prevost on May 8, 2025) has been defined by his status as the first American-born pope and a pastoral style rooted in his decades of missionary work in Peru. His initial year focused on unity, Marian devotion, and addressing modern social challenges like artificial intelligence and migration. [1, 2, 3, 4]

Election and Immediate Impact

• A Historic “First”: Elected on May 8, 2025, after four rounds of voting, Chicago-born Robert Francis Prevost became the 267th leader of the Roman Catholic Church and its first North American pontiff.
• The Choice of Name: He chose the name Leo XIV to honor Pope Leo XIII, specifically referencing the 1891 encyclical Rerum Novarum. This choice signaled a focus on Catholic social teaching in the face of a “new industrial revolution” driven by AI.
• Inaugural Message: From the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, his first public words were “Peace be with all of you!” He emphasized a “Jesus-centric” approach, focusing on Christ’s identity rather than papal authority. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]

Key Pastoral and Diplomatic Moments

• International Travels:
  • Turkey (November 2025): His first international trip included a visit to the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, marking a significant moment for interreligious dialogue.
  • Lebanon: He visited Beirut to console families affected by the 2020 explosion and celebrated Mass for roughly 150,000 people, urging the nation to be a “prophetic sign of peace”.
• Advocacy for Peace and Dignity:
  • Ukraine and Gaza: Leo XIV has repeatedly called for a ceasefire in Ukraine—meeting with President Zelenskyy three times—and offered public prayers for those suffering in Gaza.
  • Migration: Drawing on his missionary background, he has advocated for the humane treatment of immigrants and criticized economic systems that marginalize the poor.
• First Priestly Ordination: On May 11, 2025, he performed his first ordinations, emphasizing that priests must be “credible” witnesses to rebuild a “wounded Church”. [1, 2, 3]

Vision for the Church

• Synodality and Reform: Observers noted continuity with Pope Francis’s emphasis on synodality (walking together) while detecting a more centrist doctrinal tone.
• Engagement with Modernity: In his Wednesday General Audiences, he began a new series of catechises dedicated to rereading the documents of the Second Vatican Council to ensure their content is understood directly rather than through interpretations.
• Social Justice: He has maintained a strong pro-life stance while backing death penalty abolitionists and condemning war and aggressive nationalism. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]

Would you like to explore specific encyclicals he has released or more details on his appointments to the Vatican’s central administration?

• • •

Not bad!! In some sense, this is a good summary of the highlights and significant moments of the first year of Pope Leo XIV’s pontificate. One danger of AI may be the temptation to think that this summary even begins to truly describe the meaning, significance, and impact of who Pope Leo XIV is as the “Vicar of Christ” on earth. Let us again consider his words describing why he chose “Leo XIV”: In our own day, the Church offers to everyone the treasury of her social teaching in response to another industrial revolution and to developments in the field of artificial intelligence that pose new challenges for the defence of human dignity, justice and labour.”

 Let us continue to pray for Pope Leo XIV as he leads the Church in “offering everyone the treasury of her social teaching… (and in) the defense of human dignity, justice, and labor.”
 

The first anniversary of the election of Pope Leo XIV #Catholic –

‘In Illo uno unum’ – ‘In the one Christ we are one’

“In a 2023 interview with Vatican News’ Tiziana Campisi, then-Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost spoke about the significance of this motto: ‘As can be seen from my episcopal motto, unity and communion are truly part of the charism of the Order of St. Augustine, and also of my way of acting and thinking,’ he said. ‘I believe it is very important to promote communion in the Church, and we know well that communion, participation, and mission are the three key words of the Synod. So, as an Augustinian, for me, promoting unity and communion is fundamental.’”

Pope Leo XIV’s motto and coat of arms

Do you remember where you were and what you were doing on May 8, 2025? Do you remember when you heard that “there’s white smoke,” that a new Pope had been elected? Do you remember when they announced his name (in Latin), “Cardinal Robert Prevost”? An AMERICAN Pope!! Could it be? Do you remember hearing that he had chosen the name “Leo XIV”?

BISHOP KEVIN J. SWEENEY

Do you remember his first words (to the Church and to the World): “Peace be with all of you!
Dearest brothers and sisters, this is the first greeting of the Risen Christ, the Good Shepherd who gave his life for God’s flock.

I, too, would like this greeting of peace to enter your hearts, to reach your families, and all people, wherever they are, all of the people, all over the earth. Peace be with you! Transcript of Cardinal Robert Prevost’s first speech as Pope Leo XIV

I was in my office at the Diocesan Center. Someone had the coverage on a screen in the Conference Room, and employees were going in and out, waiting for the announcement. “An American Pope (from Chicago)!!” There was great joy as we heard the news and when he (finally) came out on the balcony.

I felt blessed and grateful that I would be able to share the joy and excitement at two Masses that afternoon and evening. I concelebrated Mass with Bishop Elias Lorenzo, of the Archdiocese of Newark, at St. Teresa of Avila Parish in Summit, “… to mark the start of renovations to Several Sources Shelters’ original home for pregnant women in Ramsey. The facility has been renamed Kathy’s House, after Kathy DiFiore, Several Sources’ founder.”   

Providentially, on the evening of May 8, 2025, I was scheduled to celebrate Confirmation at the Parish of St. Peter, the Apostle in Parsippany – what a joy to be able to celebrate Mass and the Sacrament of Confirmation at a parish dedicated to the “first Pope” just a few hours after the Church and the world received the 267th Pope, in the line of St. Peter.

As we look forward to the first Anniversary of Pope Leo XIV’s election and we look back at the first year of his Pontificate, there is so much that we can discuss, reflect upon, and for which we can be grateful.

In my own prayer and reflection, I wonder if we have given sufficient thought and consideration to his motto and his choice of name? As I wrote this column, I was happy to find the article and quote (cited above), which recounts Cardinal Prevost commenting on his “episcopal motto” – the motto he chose when he was named as a bishop (and which he kept when elected as Pope). We have seen and heard Pope Leo XIV striving to promote unity, peace, and communion.

In a world which seems to be more and more divided and in our Church that struggles to find and live the unity that Jesus prayed for at the Last Supper: “I pray not only for them, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me.” Jn. 17:20-21, I believe that the Holy Spirit has given us a Holy Father who will do all that he can to bring unity to the Church and to the human family. I believe that we have been blessed by his efforts, words, and ministry during this past year, especially as he calls us to pray and work for peace and unity. He continually invites us to reflect on the words and message of his motto, “In the one Christ, we are one.”

I would like to take a slightly different approach in offering my thoughts on the Holy Father’s choice of a name, Leo XIV. When I searched online to find Pope Leo’s comments on why he chose the name, I found it interesting that the first entry I found was a Vatican post on “X” (formerly known as Twitter):

Pope Leo XIV explains his choice of name: “… I chose to take the name Leo XIV. There are different reasons for this, but mainly because Pope Leo XIII in his historic Encyclical Rerum Novarum addressed the social question in the context of the first great industrial revolution. In our own day, the Church offers to everyone the treasury of her social teaching in response to another industrial revolution and to developments in the field of artificial intelligence that pose new challenges for the defence of human dignity, justice and labour.” https://x.com/VaticanNews/status/1921186921838997935  

Since the Holy Father mentions “the field of artificial intelligence…”, I thought I would go to that “field” and see how Google’s AI would “respond” to the request for: “A 2-page summary of the highlights and significant moments of the first year of the Pontificate of Pope Leo XIV.”

Here’s the response I received:

• • •

The first year of the pontificate of Pope Leo XIV (elected Robert Francis Prevost on May 8, 2025) has been defined by his status as the first American-born pope and a pastoral style rooted in his decades of missionary work in Peru. His initial year focused on unity, Marian devotion, and addressing modern social challenges like artificial intelligence and migration. [1, 2, 3, 4]

Election and Immediate Impact

• A Historic “First”: Elected on May 8, 2025, after four rounds of voting, Chicago-born Robert Francis Prevost became the 267th leader of the Roman Catholic Church and its first North American pontiff.
• The Choice of Name: He chose the name Leo XIV to honor Pope Leo XIII, specifically referencing the 1891 encyclical Rerum Novarum. This choice signaled a focus on Catholic social teaching in the face of a “new industrial revolution” driven by AI.
• Inaugural Message: From the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, his first public words were “Peace be with all of you!” He emphasized a “Jesus-centric” approach, focusing on Christ’s identity rather than papal authority. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]

Key Pastoral and Diplomatic Moments

• International Travels:
  • Turkey (November 2025): His first international trip included a visit to the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, marking a significant moment for interreligious dialogue.
  • Lebanon: He visited Beirut to console families affected by the 2020 explosion and celebrated Mass for roughly 150,000 people, urging the nation to be a “prophetic sign of peace”.
• Advocacy for Peace and Dignity:
  • Ukraine and Gaza: Leo XIV has repeatedly called for a ceasefire in Ukraine—meeting with President Zelenskyy three times—and offered public prayers for those suffering in Gaza.
  • Migration: Drawing on his missionary background, he has advocated for the humane treatment of immigrants and criticized economic systems that marginalize the poor.
• First Priestly Ordination: On May 11, 2025, he performed his first ordinations, emphasizing that priests must be “credible” witnesses to rebuild a “wounded Church”. [1, 2, 3]

Vision for the Church

• Synodality and Reform: Observers noted continuity with Pope Francis’s emphasis on synodality (walking together) while detecting a more centrist doctrinal tone.
• Engagement with Modernity: In his Wednesday General Audiences, he began a new series of catechises dedicated to rereading the documents of the Second Vatican Council to ensure their content is understood directly rather than through interpretations.
• Social Justice: He has maintained a strong pro-life stance while backing death penalty abolitionists and condemning war and aggressive nationalism. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]

Would you like to explore specific encyclicals he has released or more details on his appointments to the Vatican’s central administration?

• • •

Not bad!! In some sense, this is a good summary of the highlights and significant moments of the first year of Pope Leo XIV’s pontificate. One danger of AI may be the temptation to think that this summary even begins to truly describe the meaning, significance, and impact of who Pope Leo XIV is as the “Vicar of Christ” on earth. Let us again consider his words describing why he chose “Leo XIV”: In our own day, the Church offers to everyone the treasury of her social teaching in response to another industrial revolution and to developments in the field of artificial intelligence that pose new challenges for the defence of human dignity, justice and labour.”

 Let us continue to pray for Pope Leo XIV as he leads the Church in “offering everyone the treasury of her social teaching… (and in) the defense of human dignity, justice, and labor.”