The Catholic community of the Archdiocese of Edmonton extends its sincere congratulations to the new pope chosen to lead our universal Church.
We are also grateful for the careful discernment of the College of Cardinals, in particular the Canadian Cardinals, in the election of Robert Francis Cardinal Prevost as Pope Leo XIV.
We ask the faithful to pray that the Holy Father will have the spiritual strength, wisdom and humble example as the new shepherd of the Catholic Church. We are confident that he will guide the Church for years to come.
Calgary Bishop William McGrattan, president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, spoke to reporters upon the announcement of the election of Pope Leo XIV as the head of the Catholic Church. In addition, Fr. Paul Kavanagh of the leadership team of the Archdiocese of Edmonton, spoke about the announcement of a new pontiff.
Livestream link:
Fr. Paul Kavanagh speaks to the faithful of the Edmonton Archdiocese upon the election of Pope Leo XIV. We ask that you keep the Holy Father in prayer as he leads the Church forward. In addition, please keep Archbishop Smith in prayer as he prepares for his new role as the shepherd of the Archdiocese of Vancouver.
Prayer for a Pope:
O God, who in your providential design
willed that your Church be built upon blessed Peter,
whom you set over the other Apostles,
look with favour, we pray, on Leo, our Pope,
and grant that he, whom you have made Peter’s successor,
may be for your people a visible source and foundation
of unity in faith and of communion.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
The Roman Missal (Third Typical Edition, Canadian Edition, 2011)