Guernsey’s Catholic Dean has welcomed the election of the Church’s new Pope – saying his chosen name has already set the tone of his Papacy.
Leo XIV was selected by the Conclave late last week.
“I am delighted that the Holy Spirit has so moved the Cardinals who sat in Conclave to elect as the successor of Peter, Cardinal Robwert Prevost,” said Canon Christopher Rutledge.
“He has taken the name Leo XIV,” explained Canon Rutledge. “This name, I believe will help to set the tone of the Papacy.
“Leo XII, before him, set the Catholic doctrine of Social teaching in the encyclical ‘Rerum Novarum’, in which the Condition of the Working Classes is set out.”
Canon Rutledge continued, with a prayer for peace across the world.
“Leo XIV first words were ‘Peace be with you all’. I believe he will carry on the work of Pope Francis, but he will do it in his own way and in his own style. He spoke of Bridge building and finding a peaceful way to do that. And yet, over all of this, it is the Gospel in which we trust and of Christ who will show us the way.
“So, there is great hope for the Church and a great love in the Church and a new enthusiasm and hunger for the Gospel. We must now, with Pope Leo, strive to let the Peace of Christ enter our hearts so deeply to bring Peace to this troubled world of ours.”
There has been some interest locally in the new Pope’s background.
His name is Robert Prevost – strikingly similar to the Guernsey surname Le Prevost.
Pope Leo XIV’s family background has been reported on since he was elected as Pope – the first American to have the honour.
We’ve learnt that Robert Francis Prevost was born in Chicago in the United States, in 1955. His parents; Mildred Agnes (née Martînez) and Louis Marius, were both also born in Chicago.
Pope Leo’s paternal grandfather; Jean Lanti Prevost was an Italian man of French and Italian descent while his paternal grandmother; Suzanne Fontaine was a Frenchwoman from Le Havre.
His maternal grandparents were Hispaniola-born Joseph Martínez, and New Orleans-born Louise Baquié.
Le Prevost is a common Guernsey surname – with its history intertwined with the island’s Norman French ancestry.
Prevost translates to ‘priest’s deputy’, ‘public official’, or ‘mayor’ according to different sources, with Le meaning ‘the’.