St. Mary & St. Ann 

Catholic Church

My dear sisters and brothers,

In Latin, we could say, Habemus Papam--in English, "we have a pope."  As you may know by now, Cardinal Robert Prevost, who hails from the south side of Chicago, has been elected pope and will serve the Church as Pope Leo XIV.  Just moments ago, I was able to watch as he greeted the faithful in St. Peter Square and shared his first blessing of the people of the City of Rome and the people of the world.

Our new Holy Father has spent much of his life serving as a missionary in Peru, as well as in service to the Augustinian Order.  The Augustinians, who count Saint Augustine as their role model, have as their desire to serve the people of God with intellect and love.  Many Augustinians are engaged in service to the poor around the world.

Let us offer our prayers for our new Pope Leo XIV, that God may bless him with many years of service.  May he follow in the footsteps of Jesus and always be a good shepherd, especially for those who are materially poor and for all who are poor in spirit.  Following the example of St. Augustine, may he lead all hearts to find their rest in the love of God.

We will celebrate a Mass of Thanksgiving for Pope Leo XIV this coming Thursday, May 15 at 7:00 PM at St. Mary.  Everyone is welcome to join in praying for our new pope.

In peace and joy,

Fr. Dwight