( 310) DEACON JOHN VICTOR SEBASTIAN (1942-2025): He Taught Us How to live; He Taught Us How to Die

 

AMDG

      Our parents gave the future deacon the middle name of Victor because we could only think of victory after America entered World War II upon the attack of Pearl Harbor three weeks before his birth as the Great Generation greeted the new year of 1942.  The son of Hungarian/Ruthenian immigrants and grandson of Fr. Vladimir Mihalich, a Byzantine Catholic priest, he had achieved the American dream and generously gave back to the Church and the community of his time, talent, and treasure.  

    Still in his prime as a successful investment banker in Chicago, he took early retirement to become a man of the cloth and was ordained a deacon in 2003 after a few years (part-time) of study.  Kathleen gave him the required espousal permission and continued to faithfully be at his side during their 57 years of marriage.  John served as a deacon at his home parish of St. Isaac Jogues Church in Hinsdale, Illinois and for the winter at St. John the Evangelist Church in Naples, Florida where he had a condo.   

       Deacon John and his family spent several weekends in Rio Grande.  Fr. William Myers, of happy memory, was so gracious as to allow him to participate as a server at Mass and give the homily.  We all were thrilled, our mother especially, to hear him give these excellent homilies.

      John served his extended family as well.  When our cousin Eddie died, he was at the funeral in New Jersey; when cousin Emil died he traveled to Rochester, MN to give the family emotional and spiritual support.  He married our daughter Naomi to Dr. John Faro.  He would have baptized their baby if he were able as he did with his 11 grandchildren.

Deacon John conducts the wedding ceremony between his niece Naomi and Dr. John Faro.

Around 2015 Deacon John’s rheumatoid arthritis was in remission and he continued serving in both parishes.  In the last two or three years, however, he became incapacitated with one ailment after another in an out of his local hospital.  While fighting a blood disease that required 25 transfusions, his doctors discovered colon cancer and that meant surgery.  

Since the treatment with chemo destroyed his immune system, a whole series of diseases followed……laryngitis, a severe ear infection that made communication by phone impossible, a bad cough, and more.  Overcoming one sickness, he would be inflicted with another while Kathleen was fighting an ailment of her own.  Deacon John valiantly fought every ailment with a saintly attitude of faith and courage.  Michelle rallied to her father’s side with her mother and John Victor II handled the tax returns.

Deacon John and his lovely wife, Kathleen faithfully at his side in Rome

      During one of our phone conversations, his nurse came in and asked:  “How are you doing?  The deacon’s answer was “Blessed”.  He was grateful to the Lord despite it all and did not complain.  When I said, “John, it’s sort of not fair.  You have all this suffering and your older brother (me) just has a few old age aches and pains.”  His answer astonished me.  “WHY NOT ME?”  Our Dad would often repeat, “Every man has his cross to bear” on his journey to eternity and Deacon John had a heavy one.  Life is only a preparation for eternity.

      Deacon John believed in Redemptive Suffering. That is, every one of us has the opportunity to make his cross a prayer for others.  “I offer up my sufferings to God in reparation for my sins and for my children”. One of Mary’s most important messages at Fatima was to pray for and offer up one’s crosses for the conversion of sinners.  In that way the mystery of suffering becomes meaningful and productive.  Otherwise, it is misery.  He repeated more than once: “Thy will be done”.  As cousin Fr. Thomas Loya noted, “he gave his best homilies from his sick bed”.

Deacon John is at the lectern and Cardinal Francis George is on the right. The venue is Cardinal George's pastoral church in Rome, the Basilica of St. Bartholomew the Apostle.

      He went on a pilgrimage with the great Cardinal Francis George and served at one of his Masses.  Among those who visited him in the hospital were Bishop Conlin, Bishop Hicks, and of course cousin Fr. Loya and pastor Fr. Burke Masters who is also the Catholic Chaplain for the Chicago Cubs.      

        His funeral Mass at St. Isaac Jogues Church was full.  A large group of fellow deacons and Knights of the Holy Sepulcher attended in full regalia.  Deacon John was nominated for this prestigious group by Bishop Conlin in appreciation of his work in straightening out the Diocese of Joliet-IL pension plan for the priests and employees.  

    Relatives came from all over the country……his nephew’s family of four flew in from Irving-TX, his niece’s family of four drove from four Front Royal-Virginia, his niece’s family of three flew in from Durham-NC, and his nephew flew in from Atlanta-Georgia.  Others came from Cleveland, Jefferson-OH, and New York City.   Fr. Thomas Loya, our cousin, concelebrated, was the homilist, led prayers at the wake, and officiated the burial at Queen of Heaven Cemetery.

      Taps were played at the burial site by a group of Army veterans in a touching ceremony that left me (also a veteran) in tears as I saluted.  The flag, which draped the coffin crafted by Trappist Monks, was presented to his wife, Kathleen.  Deacon John certainly deserved the honor.  Although only a lieutenant, he was made commander of an important engineering company in Orleans, France in the midst of the Cold War in the 1960s.  Later in the reserves he was promoted to the rank of Captain.

      Let me close with a bit of humor.  In the Boy Scouts we sang a stupid lyric: “If I get to heaven before you do, I’ll drill a hole and spit on you”.  Well, Deacon John certainly is getting to heaven before me, his older brother.  And I know one thing.  He’s sending down a shower of prayers for his loved ones.  

       May we all imitate his faithfulness to God and His Church, especially his dear ones……John & Nicole, Christian, Justin, and soon to be Dr. Allison Peeney PhD; Christian, and Justin Peeney; John Victor II & Ann, Kate, Mary, and John Victor Sebastian III; Shawn & Michelle, Isabella, Emilia, and Maria Gleason; Mark & Lauren, Mark II, and Valentino Sebastian.  Nothing would make him happier for you now and then to embrace you in Heaven. 

      John, your wife, two daughters, two sons, 11 grandchildren, numerous relatives and friends will miss you very much.  We can take solace in the thought that we will all be together again in Heaven for a joyful reunion.  Let’s make sure that we all get there by being always faithful to Jesus Christ and His Church.  Good-bye my brother until we meet again.  We love you.

      Obituary of Deacon John Victor Sebastian

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John Sebastian Obituary

Obituary published on Legacy.com by Sullivan Family Funeral Homes & Cremation Service - Hinsdale on Jun. 2, 2025.

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Deacon John Victor Sebastian, a devoted family man, faithful servant of God, and cherished member of his community, passed away peacefully at the age of 83 on May 31, 2025. Son of the late Drs. John and Stephanie Sebastian.  Preceded in death by his brother Fred.  Survived by his wife of 57 years, Kathleen Marks Sebastian; daughter, Nicole Peeney (John); son, John II (Ann); daughter, Michelle (Shawn); son, Mark (Lauren); grandchildren, Allison, Christian, and Justin Peeney, Kathleen, Mary, and John Sebastian III, Isabella, Emilia, and Maria Gleason, Mark II and Valentino Sebastian; brother, Paul (Jaga); brother-in-law James (Patricia); sister-in-law, Georgianna; many nieces and nephews and countless friends.

       Before dedicating his life fully to the church and charitable causes, John served his country as a Captain in the U.S. Army. He served as a liaison in Paris and briefly in Vietnam, and then as a member of the Army Reserves after returning to the United States.  

He then continued to have a successful career as an investment banker in Chicago for 30 years. John proudly co-hosted a weekly finance show, "Ask an Expert" on Channel 26 in Chicago. He graduated from Duquesne High School in 1959 near Pittsburgh, was proud to have earned his Bachelor's degree from Penn State University in 1963, making him a lifelong fan of the Nittany Lions, and later earned his MBA from the University of Chicago.

       In 1963 after graduating from Penn State he worked for Inland Steel in East Chicago, Indiana. While there, he met the love of his life Kathleen at her father's ophthalmologist office where she worked. They were married in 1967 and moved to Illinois in 1973 where he and Kathleen raised their four children. He was ordained as a permanent Deacon in 2003.

       For over 20 years, John served with unwavering commitment as Deacon at St. Isaac Jogues Church in Hinsdale, IL where he was a parishioner for over 50 years. He was also blessed to serve as a deacon at St John the Evangelist in Naples, Florida. In both communities, he was a beloved and integral part of the church, offering guidance, support, and comfort to many individuals. He also made countless gifts of his time, talent and treasure throughout his lifetime and was proud to be a Knight of the Holy Sepulchre.

   Deacon John Sebastian's legacy of love, faith, and generosity will forever be etched in the hearts of his family and all who had the privilege of knowing him.

Visitation Thursday, June 5th, 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Sullivan Funeral Home, 60 South Grant Street, Hinsdale, IL. Funeral Friday, June 6th, family and friends to meet for a 10:00 AM Funeral Mass at St. Isaac Jogues, 306 West Fourth Street, Hinsdale, IL. Interment Queen of Heaven Cemetery.

       Mass will be live-streamed Here.  Deacon John's Register Book can be signed Electronically Here.  In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to Catholic Charities Diocese of Joliet.

 For Information 630-323-0275 or www.sullivanfuneralhomehinsdale.com

       To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Deacon John, please visit our floral store.

(309) AUTHENTICATED EUCHARISTIC MIRACLES THROUGH THE CENTURIES ALL OVER THE WORLD as Science Supports Faith

 AMDG

       Today we celebrate the traditional feast of Corpus Christi (the Body of Christ, i.e., the Eucharist), on the Thursday following Trinity Sunday.  For the convenience of the faithful, many dioceses of secular America celebrate it on the following Sunday.  In Catholic Poland it is also a secular holiday.  In most cities there is a solemn procession with the Eucharist around the city.  As the Eucharist passes, on-lookers kneel on the street in adoration.  There are prayers at distinct stations along the way.  My family participated in one of them; it is a beautiful experience!  As I write, there is a joyful and enthusiastic festive Eucharistic Rally of thousands of people in Rzeszow, Poland.

       Throughout Church History, there have been well over a hundred documented Eucharistic miracles that Our Lord granted to strengthen our faith.  Too many of us have a difficult time believing that the sacred host is indeed the body and blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  The true presence is certainly not beyond the power of our omnipotent God who can do all things.  The documents of Vatican Council state that the Eucharist is the source, the center, and the summit of Catholic belief and of course the Mass (liturgy).

       Soon to be canonized Carlo Acutis, a teenager, was one of the first to host a website documenting the miracles of the Eucharist.  The Real Presence Eucharistic Education and Adoration Association has published a book, “The Eucharistic Miracles of the World” and also has considerable information on the subject at www.therealpresenc.org with a video.

       In the 13^th Century St. Francis of Assisi cited the testimony of Christ Himself in Chapter 6 of the Gospel of John: “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life."  He explains with great love: "And just as He presented Himself to the Apostles in the form of a man, so He shows Himself to us in the consecrated bread.  And just as the Apostles (who, with the eyes of the body, only saw His flesh), contemplating with the eyes of faith, believed that He is God, so too we, seeing with our bodily eyes the bread and wine, believe that the Most Holy Body and Blood are present, living and true in the Eucharist.  In this manner the Lord is always present in the midst of His faithful, just as He Himself promised when He said: “Behold, I am with you until the end of the world” (Mt 28:20).

       There is another fascinating book by Dr. Franco Serafini on the subject: A Cardiologist Examines Jesus: The Stunning Science Behind Eucharistic Miracles     This book delves into scientific studies affirming five authentic Eucharistic miracles, with insights from experts, including hematologists, geneticists. oncologists, neurologists, and molecular biologists.  

       They all concluded that the five Eucharistic miracles are undeniably authentic.   All reveal heart muscle tissue; most reveal a heart that was experiencing extreme suffering, and some reveal a heart still enduring trauma.  The reader will learn what kept a revered eighth-century relic alive until the twenty-first century, and how the same Blood Type AB was common to all the samples!   All of this beautifully illustrates how modern science supports and reenforces faith!

The Eucharistic Miracle of Santarem, Portugal Described Below

       The most well known Eucharistic miracle is that of Lanciano, Italy (see https://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2023/06/281-lanciano-first-and-most-prominent.html) .  Close behind is  the Eucharistic Miracle of Santarem, in central Portugal.  On February 16, 1266 a woman suspected her husband of infidelity.  Overcome by jealousy, she consulted a sorceress who instructed her to steal a consecrated host from her local parish church to use in a love potion.  To this day Satanists try to steal consecrated hosts for their rituals; Eucharistic ministers should be alert for anything suspicious.  Ironic is that these evil people believe in the authenticity of the Eucharist and many Christians do not. 

       Hidden in a linen cloth, the sacred host began to emit blood.  Frightened, the woman ran home and stored the blood stained contents in a drawer in her bedroom.  However, that night the sacred host emitted brilliant rays of light that illuminated the entire room as if it were day.   Her husband questioned his wife until she revealed the whole story.

A closeup of the reliquary of St. Stephen's Church in Santarem, Portugal

        The next day the couple informed their pastor, who retrieved the bloody sacred host that turned into flesh and returned it to the church in a solemn procession with a number of parishioners.  The sacred host bled for three consecutive days   It was later placed in a reliquary made of beeswax.  In 1340 another miracle occurred.   When the pastor opened the tabernacle, he found the wax container broken into multiple pieces and mysteriously replaced by a crystal vase that contained the Blood mixed with wax.   

       Today the sacred host is beautifully preserved for the last eight centuries in St. Stephen’s Church in Santarem, Portugal.  From time to time the sacred host bleeds again and different images of Christ appear on the sacred host.  St. Francis Xavier visited the church before beginning his great mission in the Far East.  Every year on the second Sunday of April, the same precious host is carried in procession from the woman’s home (now a chapel) to the church.     

(308) Is the Fire and Restoration of the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris Stimulating a Revival of the Faith in France?

 AMDG

The great 13^th Century Cathedral Notre-Dame de Paris (Our Lady of Paris) in flames on April 15, 2019.  Little was left of the roof and spire.

       On the night of April 15, 2019 the world gasped in horror as it watched live on television the magnificent mediviel cathedral in flames……perhaps the most famous cathedral in the world, the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris.  People all over France were praying –many for the first time in years-- that the firefighters save the iconic cathedral, which was close to collapsing.  In fact a spire did collapse before the eyes of the world. 

It is amazing how the people of the 12^th century could build such a magnificent cathedral with their rather primitive tools.  No tourist leaves Paris without visiting this classic cathedral with its Gothic architecture and exquisite stained-glass windows.  Notre-Dane is the most visited site in Paris, far exceeding the Eiffel Tower, with 13 million visitors per year.  

The 12^th Century Cathedral of Notre Dame fully restored in its original splendor, reopened on December 7, 2024, the eve of the great feast of the Immaculate Conception after a devastating fire five years earlier.  It was in 1858 that Mary herself revealed the doctrine to St. Bernadette.  Over 1500 people, including 40 heads of state attended the reopening ceremony.  Once again the huge bells of the jewel of Paris could be heard through much of Paris.  A few weeks earlier on November 15, the 14^th Century statue of Our Lady of the Pillar, miraculously untouched by the flames of April 15, 2019, was brought back in a torchlight procession, partially organized by the Knights of Columbus, through the streets of Paris to her proper place in the cathedral.    

The original construction was a labor of love that gives glory to God.  It took almost a century to build (1163-1260).  While in the Army stationed in Orleans two hours south, I was blessed to visit it more than once in 1962.  Using similar medieval tools and methods, the five year restoration was a painstaking labor of love at a cost of $800 million and a brother knight, a French craftsman and manager, had a significant part.  All of that funding and more was supplied by 340,000 donors from 150 countrues all over the world.  Some 240 companies and hundreds of craftsmen participated.

A view of the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris from the Seine River

       The restoration is rekindling a religious fervor “This moment of joy confirms the vitality of Christianity in old Europe, which is only waiting to follow its Christian vocation more intensely in France and beyond” said Arnaud Bouthéon, territorial deputy of France.  Pope Francis himself called upon “all the baptized who will joyfully enter this cathedral to feel a legitimate pride and reclaim their faith heritage…..May the rebirth of this admirable church be a prophetic sign of the renewal of the Church in France.”  And to think that the faith in secular France had been in decline for the previous 75 years.  

Will this tragic fire and the unifying restoration stimulate a religious revival?  About the same time in 2023, across the ocean, little Christendom College in Front Royal, Virginia near Washington D.C. dedicated its magnificent neogothic chapel to Christ the King and renewed its mission to “restore all things in Christ”.  There was a time when the word “Christendom” was almost synonymous with Western Civilization because of the prevailing Christian culture before the Protestant Reformation. 

May the Church in France return to the days when they had a Catholic culture, as during the reign of King St. Louis IX (1226-1270).  It was King St. Louis IX, who placed the precious crown of thorns of Christ in the Cathedral of Notre-Dame.  It survived the persecution and desecration during the French Revolution in 1789.  May France again be faithful to its calling as the eldest daughter of the Church.                                             

One of the many stained-glass windows of the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris

       Jean-Baptiste Bonhoure, a member of Blessed Noël Pinot Council 18406 in Béhuard, France, was present at the restoration inauguration in his capacity as president of Ateliers Perrault, the company entrusted with the reconstruction of the nave, choir, as well as the north and south belfries of the 850-year-old cathedral.  Membership is growing in France to 1250 since the first five French councils of the Knights of Columbus were chartered in 2016. What attracted Bonhoure to join the Order in 2022 was seeing members put their faith into action through service.  “I joined the Knights to help serve the community,” he said, “while strengthening my Catholic faith with a group of men from all generations.”

A view of the Seine River and Paris from the tower of the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris.  Notice the flying buttresses at the bottom of the photo.

      Many see the tragic fire and restoration as an opportunity for the re-evangelization of France and the Knights of Columbus have taken a part in that most noble undertaking.  Observers can see that “From a cultural and existential point of view, people today feel lost, which reinforces the attraction effect toward Notre-Dame.”  According to Fr. Amar, “We can turn every trial into a source of strength.  This is the direction Christ points us in, through his death on the cross and his resurrection in glory.”  The influx of tourists to the restored cathedral must be directed to prayer and reverence in this holy church……not simply herded through a museum.     

      In 2017 and again in 2018 the French knights organized a sound and light show on the façade of the cathedral to commemorate the centenary of Worlld War I under the title, “Queen of Hearts” before thousands of people.  During the Year of St. Joseph in 2021, the knights organized a procession with his statue through Paris, climaxed by a vigil of thanksgiving and Eucharistic Adoration in front of the cathedral. 

Even more ambitious, the Knights organized a 590 mile walking pilgrimage over 70 days from Paris to Southern France.  During the processions the knights distributed images of the statue of St. Joseph and the Christ child.  All of this is an answer to the emptiness of post-modern materialism.  The whole world can adopt this missionary spirit of evangelization.

This is in addition to the annual three day 60 mile walking pilgrimage from Paris to the great medieval cathedral of Chartres to the south.  The 2025 pilgrimage broke a record with some 19,000 participants, mostly youth.

A statue of one of the many saints of France, St. Joan of Arc in the center of Orleans.  She commanded the lifting of the siege of the English on May 7-8 1429.

      In fact there were 10,000 adult Baptisms at Easter 2025, a 45% increase over 2024, in itself a banner year in the French Church.  Perhaps the tragedy of the fire that nearly destroyed on April 19, 2019 and recent restoration is indeed stimulating a revival of the Faith in secular France.  Certainly, the army of saints that France has produced over the centuries are praying for that…..St. Joan of Arc (her feast day was yesterday May 30), St. Margaret Mary, St. Catherine Labore, Saint Jean-Baptiste de La Salle, St. Bernadette, St. Louis IX, St. Louis de Monfort, St. John Vianney, St. Dennis, St. Theresa of Lisieux, and many more.  See

https://www.returntoorder.org/2025/05/the-unexpected-rise-in-adult-baptisms-in-france-should-encourage-and-challenge-all-catholics/.

For more details go to  https://www.kofc.org/en/news-room/columbia/2025/march/resurrection-notre-dame.html  

(307) THE NEW POPE: HE’S AMERICAN; ES PERUANO; BLACK TOO; He Now Belongs to the World!

 AMDG

HABEMUS PAPAM!   He received more than the required 2/3 of the votes cast by the 133 Cardinals that participated on May 8, 2025, the Feast of Our Lady of Pompeii.  As the 267^th Pope, he gave his first greeting and blessing to the world!  He spoke in Italian and Spanish, but not English to show that he is the Pope for all.  He appealed for the intercession of Mary by reciting the Hail Mary prayer.  Over the weekend he visited the Augustinian Shrine of Our Lady of Good Council, an hour drive from Rome.

As kids in the late 1950s, his older brothers played cowboys and Indians; little Rob Prevost, the youngest of three boys (no sisters), played priest.  From that early age, God had a special mission for little Rob; He has a special mission for each one of us.  But who would even dream what mission little Rob had?

God does not choose the qualified; He qualifies the chosen.  God prepared Robert Prevost for an awesome mission and that preparation over his 69 years made him ready when the time came on May 8, 2025.  His father of French descent was a Navv veteran of the Normandy Invasion and a district public school superintendent while his mother of Haitian descent was a librarian, both college graduates and very faithful Catholics in the working-class neighborhood of South Chicago.  They were active members of St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church and sent their children to its school.  There Rob was an altar boy and member of the choir.  Thus Robert Prevost grew up in an intellectual and faith environment, good for nurturing a vocation. 

After eighth grade, he entered St. Augustine High School Minor Seminary in Michigan.  While excelling academically, his activities included student council, editor of the yearbook, and debate, balanced to this day by swimming and tennis. 

In 1977 he graduated from the Augustinian Villanova University in Philadelphia with a degree in Mathematics.  Then he formally entered the Augustinian novitiate, taking his final vows in 1981, and accepting priestly ordination in 1982.  

The Augustinian Order took notice of his talents and encouraged him to continue his studies…...Master of Divinity from the Catholic Theological Union in 1982 while teaching Math and Physics at a Catholic high school.  He obtained a doctorate in Canon Law in 1987 from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) in Rome, becoming fluent in Italian and well versed in Latin.  Along the way he   became fluent in Spanish and a good grasp of French, Portuguese, and German besides his native language of birth.  

Now Fr. Prevost served the Diocese of Chulucanas in Northern Peru 1985-86.  After serving as Vocations Director and working with the novices in the U.S. he returned to Peru in 1988.  Apparently, Fr. Prevost found his niche, teaching Canon Law at the diocesan seminary and heading the Augustinian Seminary in Trujillo, serving as a judge on the ecclesiastical court, and doing parish work which included even traveling on horseback.  At that point he was probably resigned to spending the rest of his life as a missionary priest in Peru.  Little did he know!         

From 1998-2013 he was elected to serve as Prior Provincial and later Prior General of the order worldwide.  By then he was noticed by the Vatican and was appointed Apostolic Administrator in 2014 and then Bishop of Chiclayo, Peru the following year.  He was elected Vice President of the Peruvian Bishops Conference. In accordance with a concordat, Bishop Prevost became a naturalized citizen of Peru.  

In 2023 Pope Francis appointed him as Prefect of the Dicastery of Bishops despite his preference to remain in Peru after 20 years there and a few months later made him a Cardinal.  At that point Cardinal Prevost became known among those close to the Vatican.  He was responsible for advising Pope Francis on the appointment and evaluation of Bishops around the world.  He was also appointed to be a member of seven additional dicasteries.

Pope Leo XIII (1878-1903) and Pope Leo XIV (2025- )

What’s in a name?  Cardinal Prevost and everyone else were taken by surprise. An American Pope was out of the question for fear of domination by the superpower.   He didn’t have much time to think of a name and his opening greeting.  The name he chooses serves as a vision and direction of his Papacy, a model to follow and continuity.  Pope Leo XIII was his inspiration.   

      On May 15, 1891 this pioneer of social justice   published his landmark encyclical, Rerum Novarum: On the Condition of Labor in the aftermath of the Industrial Revolution.  His ideas were revolutionary at the time, applying biblical Christian principles to the social problems of the day, a time of rampant abuses and exploitation of the working man in gross violation of his human dignity.  The Pontiff condemned child labor, sweat shop working conditions often unsafe, unjust wages, long hours, etc.  He asserted the right of workers to organize.  He promoted the concept of the just wage for an honest day's work.......sufficient to modestly support a typical family without the mother having to work because of poverty. 

He condemned Socialism (excessive government ownership and control of the means of production and the economy at the expense of individual freedom) as well as the abuses of unrestrained Capitalism while asserting the right to own private property.  However, the owner has the duty to use his property (wealth) not only for himself, but also for the common good because God created the riches of the world for all. He espoused the Principle of Subsidiarity.......that decisions should be made as much as possible at the level of the community and family, not Big Government.   The popes were really the precursors of social change, having stimulated reforms and labor laws around the world to correct the abuses.  Succeeding popes followed with new social encyclicals to update Rerum Novarum to new conditions and problems on May 15 of 1931, 1961, 1971, 1981, and 1991 without contradicting their predecessors.  See www.usccb.org/resources/foundational-documents-catholic-social-teaching. 

Fast forward to the 21^st Century and we have “a new challenge for the defense of human dignity, justice, and the worker”……artificial intelligence and robotics, a second industrial revolution, a digital revolution.  "AI must be in the service of truth."  Furthermore, Leo XIII was a Marian Pope, having written numerous encyclicals on Mary.  Pope Leo XIV has a devotion to Mary, praying the rosary every day.  Thus the former Cardinal Robert Prevost, chose his new name as Pope Leo XIV.

      What can we expect of the new Pope?  Based on prior statements, he is conservative on Church doctrine gender, and pro-life issues, but progressive on social justice, immigration, and ecology.  Yet he wants the Church to be welcoming to all.  He will be an ardent peacemaker as all the Popes have been.  Like Pope Francis, he follows the simple life of service and is a unifier that advocates dialogue and bridge building where Christ is the bridge between God and man.  Being a humble and excellent listener, he will continue the synodal movement, but he will have the last word. 

    We can expect him to be welcoming to the participation of women in the Church, but wth limits.  As Bishop of Chiclayo, Peru the nuns were very helpful.  As prefect of the Dicastery of Bishops, he included a couple of women.  Being more intuitive and right brained, they can pick up on things that left brained men will often miss.  Women have been invaluable in schools and hospitals, for example.  Great entrepreneurs in the Church include St. Mother Cabrini, Mother Angelica, and St. Mother Drexel, among others.

Pope Leo is controlled, pastoral, down-to-earth, gentle, soft-spoken, calm, modest, and serene in his dealings, but firm, a low key yet determined style with self-assurance.  He is a man of deep faith rooted in prayer.  He knows the inner workings of the Vatican bureaucracy.  He's committed to the 2^nd Vatican Council and greater participation for women.  His math background helps him to be methodical with clarity in his pronouncements.

Interesting is his first audience with the media.  He emphasized the role of journalists……to serve truth and promote peace by disarming words that can incite and divide.  “Let us disarm communication of all prejudice and resentment, fanaticism and even hatred.”  See

 https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2025-05/pope-leo-xiv-media-professionals-audience-conclave.html.

Pope Leo has a great appreciation of the importance of the 23 Eastern rites in the Church, which has its origins in the East.  Someday the rest of the Orthodox, separated by the schism of 1054, will return to Rome and the path will be via the Eastern rites.  The apostles adapted the liturgy and traditions to their rich cultures without compromising doctrine.  Only a few days into his pontificate, Pope Leo spoke at the Jubilee of Eastern Churches.  “It is vital, then, that you preserve your traditions”.   See the Meeting With Pope Leo XIV: A New Hope for the Eastern Churches.  He opened his talk with the traditional greeting of Eastern Catholics: “Christ is risen” and the reply is “Indeed He is risen”.  

 

                                The Coat of Arms of Pope Leo XIV

    The Coat of Arms of Pope Leo XIV is quite illustrative of the man.  The traditional keys at the top remind us of Christ’s words to St. Peter:  “I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Mt. 16:19).

The upper half of the shield is blue with a fleur-de-lis, or lily, indicates purity, the Holy Trinity, devotion to Mary, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  The lower half of the shield presents the figure of a closed book beneath a pierced heart aflame. The symbol refers to the conversion of St. Augustine, who described his experience as a personal encounter with God, about whom he wrote: “You have pierced my heart with your Word.”

Beneath the shield on the coat of arms is Pope Leo’s episcopal motto in Latin, “In Illo Uno Unum.”  As St. Augustine explained,  “Although we Christians are many, in the one Christ we are one.  We are many and we are one — because we are united to him”. 

The Pontiff explained that “unity and communion are truly part of the charism of the Order of St. Augustine, and also of my way of acting and thinking…..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 will be greatly influenced by the charism of the Augustinian Order formed in the 13^th Century and inspired by its patron, St. Augustine of Hippo…..a mendicant order (living like monks but  out in the world serving).  Their way of life promotes unity, community living, contemplative spirituality, humility, simple living, and poverty for its members, attuned to the emotional needs of the people, utilizing the power of love in service and evangelization.  Pope Leo XIV is committed to the poor and disadvantaged, building community among them.

       

World Dignitaries at the Installation Mass of Pope Leo XIV in front of the St. Peter’s Basilica on May 18, 2025.  An estimated 200,000 pilgrims attended.

            The new Pope told a group of Peruvians after his Installation Mass: “I can honestly tell you, it never crossed my mind that what then happened, would have happened.  I think that our God of surprises sprang a really big one this time.  As I have often said, one must know how to accept the will of God".