by Michael O'Neill

Our new pope, American/Peruvian Robert Francis Prevost, (Bob to his close friends) was an unknown to most Catholics in the US. I only heard of him when Pope Francis brought him from Peru to the Vatican Curia three years ago and made him head of the department for bishops. Since 8 May, he has been following in the footsteps of Pope Francis on the major issues facing the worldwide Church.

Significantly for the land of Pope Leo’s birth, the final Catholic Social Teaching by Pope Francis was his February Letter of the Holy Father Francis to the Bishops of the United States of America on the issue of mass deportation of immigrants, asylum seekers and refugees by the second Trump administration.

So far, well over 50,000 poor souls have become victims of its violence and brutality, without due process of law, contrary to Amendment V of the United States Constitution, and contrary to Pope Leo’s first Apostolic Exhortation, Dilexi Te.  It was in continuity with the final encyclical of Pope Francis, Dilexit Nos, and his February Letter to the US Bishops.

Michel L O’Neill was a public defender.

Photo Leo Visions on Unsplash