The Augustinian Brothers from the Midwest have arrived in Vatican City to celebrate the installation of one of their own as the 267th pontiff on 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 look at him, I am always reminded of a person whose words I want to pay attention to because of how wisely he chooses them,” Father Joe Roccosalva shared.
“I traveled to Peru when he was ordained as a bishop since I was the provincial at that time. Additionally, I was present in 2023 when he became a Cardinal. Therefore, I felt obliged to be here for this trifecta,” 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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