Augustinian Brothers from the Midwest have traveled to Vatican City to mark the historic occasion of one of their own ascending as the 267th pope this coming Sunday.
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“I know that guy, he’s in my phone, like, I have pictures with him. He’s in my province,” Fr. Jack Tierney said.
There are only 2,800 Augustinians in the world, and now one of them, born and bred in Chicago, will now be leading 1.4 billion Catholics.
“When I see him, I feel inclined to listen because he chooses his words with great care,” expressed Father Joe Roccosalva.
“I journeyed to Peru for his ordination as a bishop in my role as the provincial. I was also present in 2023 when he was elevated to Cardinal. So, attending this third significant moment was a must,” Father Bernie Scianna commented.
Father Bernie Scianna has pictures dating back decades with now Pope Leo XIV.
Just a few months ago they were pictured co-celebrating Mass inside St. Peters with little idea of what was to come.
Father Bernie Scianna was once Pope Leo’s Augustinian boss, so to speak, in Chicago.
“After he was elected, I sent a note. I didn’t know if the pope responds to his email, but he did,” Scianna said.
A day after his election, Pope Leo responded with an invitation.
Archbishop of Chicago’s Cardinal Blase J. Cupich said that he believes that listening will likely be one of Pope Leo’s superpowers.
“There has to be a peace in the discussion that deals with the ethical and moral questions,” Cupich said. “We can’t reduce politics just to the financial bottom line or a national self-interest in a nationalistic way. But we have to look at how the entire globe is being impacted we live on this planet that we call our common home.”
The Vatican’s Secretary of State said Pope Leo has already offered the Vatican as a space for neutral peace talks between Russia and Ukraine.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with his counterpart at the Vatican on Saturday where they talked about their commitment to ending global conflicts.
Watch Pope Leo’s installation Mass at 3 a.m. Sunday on ABC7 Chicago, or wherever you stream.
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