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It is with great joy and deep reverence that we join the global Catholic community and believers across faith traditions in welcoming His Holiness Pope Leo XIV as the new leader of the Roman Catholic Church.

Pope Leo XIV was born and raised in Chicago, a city known for its vibrant cultures and faiths. His American roots make this moment uniquely meaningful for us, not just at Saint Mary’s, but across our country. At Saint Mary’s, we cherish the intersection of faith, scholarship, and service and look optimistically to the future with Pope Leo XIV’s leadership. 

Pope Leo’s remarkable service in Peru, ministering to the needs of the poor and marginalized, reflects a lifelong commitment to the values at the heart of the Gospel. His call for a Church that listens and serves with humility, and his focus on justice, compassion, and care for creation, align well with our own mission and Lasallian Catholic identity.

It has been exciting for us here at Saint Mary’s to receive firsthand accounts of the recent papal conclave from our students studying in Rome, and from Professor of Theology Tom Poundstone, all of whom were able to attend Mass and experience the historic gathering in Vatican City. 

This has been a powerful few days for many at Saint Mary’s, especially as our first-year students are currently discussing St. Augustine's Confessions in Collegiate Seminar and having great conversations about faith in their personal lives and in our community. It is truly an amazing moment as they make the connection between their studies and this important world event.

Fides quaerens intellectum (“Faith seeking understanding”), a phrase most famously associated with the Benedictine monk, philosopher, and theologian Saint Anselm of Canterbury (1033–1109) and grounded in Augustinian thought, aligns well with Pope Leo XIV’s guiding philosophy. As a campus community, we look forward to the instruction and inspiration that Pope Leo XIV will bring to the Church and to all those striving to live lives of faith, conscience, and service. May his leadership be blessed with wisdom, courage, and grace.

With hope and gratitude,

Roger J. Thompson, EdD
President