Bishop Joe Caddy of Cairns has expressed his delight at the election of Cardinal Robert Prevost as Pope Leo XIV, highlighting a powerful message the new Pope shared during a meeting of new bishops last September.
Bishop Caddy recalled, “Last September, at a course for new bishops organized by the office of Cardinal Prevost, I was privileged to meet him and have some interaction. His final words to the new bishops at that conference resonated with me and have remained with me. He said, in wrapping up our meeting, that if we do nothing else as bishops, we should ‘make friends with the poor.'”
Reflecting on this message, Bishop Caddy emphasized his confidence in Pope Leo XIV’s leadership. “Pope Leo XIV will undoubtedly bring his own unique approach to the papacy, but I am sure he will continue in the spirit of both Pope Francis and the Gospel message of Jesus Christ, urging the Church to reach out to the peripheries and bring Good News to the poor.”
The election of Pope Leo XIV by 133 Cardinal electors marks a new chapter for the global Catholic Church. As the 267th Successor of Peter, Pope Leo XIV is expected to continue the Church’s mission of compassion, outreach, and service to the marginalized
MEDIA ENQUIRIES
Meg Pearce
CDOC Communications and Digital Officer
0407 519 473
meg.pearce@cairns.catholic.org.au
