Less than 48 hours after his election, Pope Leo XIV made a humble pilgrimage – riding in a minivan to a Marian shrine outside Rome and stopping at St Mary Major to pray at Pope Francis’s tomb and before the icon of Mary, Salus Populi Romani.

Pope Leo XIV will maintain an active presence on X and Instagram via the official @Pontifex accounts, continuing the legacy of digital evangelisation. His first post: a message of peace from his Urbi et Orbi address.

In a festive St Peter’s Square, Pope Leo XIV led his first Regina Coeli, urging prayers for vocations, peace in Ukraine and Gaza, and honoring Mother’s Day with warm wishes to all mothers. Entrusting it all to Mary, Queen of Peace, he renewed the plea: “Never again war.”

In his first address to the College of Cardinals, Pope Leo XIV called the Catholic Church alive, beautiful, and strong, urging renewed commitment to Evangelii Gaudium and modern Catholic social teaching — especially in the face of AI and today’s evolving world.

In his first public homily, Pope Leo XIV called the Church to recognise God’s marvels, proclaim Christ boldly, and witness with humility. He reaffirmed: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God,” urging believers to face today’s world with courage, faith, and love.

Pope Leo XIV has urged journalists to be peacemakers, rejecting prejudice and anger in their reporting. On 12 May, he also called for the release of imprisoned journalists, reminding the world: “The suffering of these journalists challenges the conscience of nations… we must safeguard the precious gift of free speech and of the press.

Pope Leo XIV is the first American and first Augustinian to lead the Catholic Church. A naturalised Peruvian citizen and beloved Bishop, he’s known for walking through floods, launching lifesaving aid during COVID, and carrying Christ to the streets. His papacy is rooted in unity, mercy, and mission.

During Good Shepherd Sunday Mass, Perth Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB reflected on the meaning of vocation and the courage it takes to say yes to God’s call. Speaking at St Mary’s Cathedral, he encouraged openness to vocations and highlighted the qualities of faith, love, and service, linking them to the newly elected Pope Leo XIV, whose own journey began with a simple “yes” to God.

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople said he hopes Pope Leo XIV will “be a dear brother and collaborator … for the rapprochement of our churches, for the unity of the whole Christian family, and for the benefit of all of humankind.”

The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference (ACBC) has welcomed the election of Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as Pope Leo XIV. ACBC President, Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB, offered heartfelt congratulations, assuring the new pope of the Church in Australia’s prayers, loyalty, and joyful anticipation of his spiritual leadership. He expressed hope that the pontificate will be marked by peace, unity, and a deepening of the Gospel message worldwide.