The Bishops’ Conference of Scotland welcomes the election of Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, Cardinal Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, as Pope Leo XIV. It asks all Catholics in Scotland to pray for the new Pope as he begins his ministry. During his short address to the faithful from the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica, Pope Leo highlighted that his pontificate would be a service of peace. His opening words were the greeting of the risen Christ to his disciples, “Peace be with you”; a greeting given by our Lord to those who were afraid and doubting. Pope Leo prayed that peace would enter the hearts of all men and women, of all families and nations and that evil would be overcome.
Echoing the words of Pope Francis and thanking our late Holy Father, the new Pope asked for dialogue and building bridges, for walking together on a synodal path as missionaries in our world. Pope Leo reminded the crowds that he is a son of St Augustine, the great saint and doctor of the Church, who brought light and understanding to a world that was falling apart in the 4th century. We pray that our new Holy Father will bring that same spirit of peace, light and understanding to all men and women in Scotland and throughout the world, that the Church will embrace those who are afraid and doubting.
God bless our Pope

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