We Catholics held our breath after we saw the white smoke rising from the Sistine Chapel where the conclave of cardinals met to elect a new Pope.

There was joyous celebration at the message, “Habemus Papam” (We have a Pope). We had been in mourning after the passing of the compassionate Pope Francis and prayed that the new pope would follow in his footsteps, calling for peace, engaging the downtrodden, and concerned about environmental endangerment.

As we read about the most popular candidates, we saw two favourites from the Philippines and Africa — Cardinals Luis Tagle and Peter Turkson of Ghana, and there were comments that this would bring hope to Catholics in the developing world. The name of Robert Prevost did not appear in the betting reports; yes, there was active betting on who would be the new pope. Even then Cardinal Prevost had said to his brother John a few days before the conclave, “Not going to happen.”

But scarcely had 24 hours of the conclave passed that there were two-thirds or more votes (we will never know the exact number) electing Prevost, Pope Leo XIV, and his life story was revealed to the world. We learned that this Chicago-born cardinal had answered his vocation to become a monk of the Order of Augustine. His degree in mathematics resulted in him being offered a place at Harvard. Instead, he opted for the priesthood and studied at the Pontifical College of St Thomas Aquinas where he received a doctorate in canon law.

He was then sent by his superiors to serve in Peru, where he is reported to have become a fatherly figure to the people of the city of Chiclayo. He rode on horseback and carried bags of provisions on his back to the poorest in remote areas. He became so close to the people that he had said he would serve there for the rest of his life. Later he was named bishop of the city and became a naturalised citizen of Peru. However, his leadership qualities led to him being appointed the head of the Augustine Order, and he subsequently relocated to Rome. Most recently he was appointed prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops at the Vatican, overseeing the selection of bishops.

It is no wonder then that on the social media platform
X he reposted statements criticising the current US actions against immigrants. He has also posted a comment opposing Vice-President JD Vance’s hierarchical approach to love. He expressed sorrow at the killing of George Floyd and, surprisingly, this was criticised by a functionary in the current US Government.

My non-Catholic friend in Florida chuckled, “Jean, your new Pope is a browning!” Ancestral records reveal that Pope Leo’s mother was a Creole from Louisiana and her father was a Haitian born in Santo Domingo, while her husband was of French ancestry. This has also been on repeat on social media. Racists may describe him as a ‘one-drop’ man of colour.

However, this Pope, who is fluent in five languages and who turned his back on a comfortable life to share the discomfort of the poor, has risen above such labels. He is now the leader of 1.4-billion Catholics worldwide, numbers matched only by the populations of India and China.

Here in Jamaica, Catholics are about 1.5 per cent of the other Christian denominations. However, we have a large footprint in education and service to the needy. Jessie Ripoll’s Alpha and Mercy community, Father Holung’s Missionaries of the Poor, Monsignor Ramkissoon’s Mustard Seed Communities, Food For the Poor founded by Ferdie Mahfood, Sister Benedict Chung’s Laws Street Centre, Archbishop Dufour’s Good Shepherd Foundation all testify to our emphasis on service to ‘the least of our brothers [and sisters]’. Even strong anti-Catholics boast about their children’s achievements at Catholic schools. Although these institutions may have been founded by Catholics, there is no discrimination against students or beneficiaries of other religions, as we follow Jesus’s teachings that every human being is our neighbour.

Catholics have been outstanding business leaders and indeed represent a high percentage of those in the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica Hall of Fame. We have had, and still have, some strong voices in political leadership, including Alexander Bustamente, and are proud that National Hero Marcus Garvey and our famed poet Claude McKay became Catholic converts.

Last Sunday CCRP was hosted by the Bethel Baptist Church for our 15th Anniversary Thanksgiving Service. Afterwards, I thanked Reverend Rosalena Robinson for her warm welcome and told her I was a Catholic. She replied that it was the theology of the Catholic Church that she and fellow pastors had studied. The teachings of Christ and His first leaders prevail. May our new Pope Leo XIV be blessed as he preserves the legacy of our first Pope, St Peter.

Antilles Bishops meet in Jamaica

It is coincidental that Jamaica’s Archdiocese of Kingston led by Archbishop Kenneth Richards is hosting the 62nd Antilles Episcopal Conference this week. There are five archdiocese and 14 dioceses which are represented at the Conference, which had been scheduled months ago before the passing of Pope Francis. Cardinal Luis Tagle had confirmed his attendance but had to cancel after the setting of the conclave.

As this is a jubilee year for the church, yesterday there was a procession of Catholics from Highholborn Street to Holy Trinity Cathedral for a concelebrated Mass. I believe there will be a pep in the steps of our participants, proud of the order of succession in our church and the selection of a Pope who has a heart for them all.

Reading – a new subject

We welcome the announcement by Senator Dana Dixon Morris that reading will be treated as a separate subject in primary schools beginning in September. There was wide participation for Read Across Jamaica last Tuesday, and the attention and participation of the children showed their enthusiasm for books.

This took me back to the days when our father would take us to Tom Redcam Library to borrow books every week, followed by ice cream treats. Of course, we did not have the competition of digital media in those times, so it is harder for parents to manage their children’s reading habits. This initiative will ensure that children become better readers, which will prepare them for understanding texts on all subjects and directions in their examinations. As the saying goes, ‘Readers are leaders.’

Project Star and YFDN equip parents

We received an inspiring missive from Project Star CEO Saffrey Brown about a three-day workshop entitled Leadership for Parents in Crime Prevention, a partnership with Youth For Development Network (YFDN).

Twenty parents in Rose Gardens participated in the workshop, facilitated by Andre Wilson, executive director of YFDN. Wilson said, “The training focused on empowering parents as leaders, highlighting the impact of effective communication, leadership qualities, and leading by example. We created a safe space where parents could openly share their experiences and learn from one another. This openness was one of the most positive aspects of the engagement.”

Jean Lowrie-Chin is an author and executive chair of PROComm, PRODEV, and CCRP. Send comments to lowriechin@aim.com.

Pope Francis was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from March 13, 2013 until his death on April 21, 2025.