In Pope Leo XIV’s first greeting after being introduced as pope May 8, he described himself as a “son of St. Augustine.”
Faith
Where Christians are “mocked, opposed, despised, or at best tolerated and pitied” is where the Catholic Church’s “missionary outreach is most desperately needed,” Pope Leo XIV said in his first homily as leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics.
Catholic groups are welcoming Pope Leo XIV — the second pope from the Americas, and the first U.S.-born pontiff — who was elected May 8, the second day of the papal conclave.
Since becoming parishioners of St. Gabriel the Archangel Catholic Church in McKinney 23 years ago, Steven and Rita Aguirre have been paying it forward to the community that has become an extension of their own family.
We desire to see improvements in our family, friends, and community, and yet we sometimes fail to acknowledge that true transformation begins within.
Led by a contingent of Knights of Columbus, more than 30 bishops and about 250 priests, deacons, and seminarians processed into the cathedral for the two-hour liturgy, with Archbishop Casey as the principal celebrant and Archbishop Schnurr, Cardinal Blase J. Cupich of Chicago, and Cardinal Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the U.S., as concelebrants.
Saying “yes” to God’s plan for one’s life does not mean everything will be easy, but it does mean knowing that God is there and will help, Pope Francis said.
Even when a person seems totally lost and unable to find a way back to God, the Lord is already looking for him or her, said the text for Pope Francis’ weekly general audience.
Over the past year, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church in Plano has seen significant — and unprecedented — growth in the parish’s Order of Christian Initiation of Adults. The growth has been “sudden,” according to Director of Faith Formation Bruce Baumann, who said that the program had essentially tripled its number of participants from the year before.
In his last written message from Rome’s Gemelli Hospital before returning to the Vatican, Pope Francis greeted bishops and the faithful from the Archdiocese of Naples on their Holy Year pilgrimage.