Elected new Pope this Thursday (8), Robert Francis Prevost – Now Leo XIV – It has been twice in the Parish of Our Lady of Consolation and Korea, in Engenho Novo, in the North Zone of Rio: the first in 2012, during a pastoral meeting; and the second in 2013, on the occasion of the World Youth Day.
After the announcement of the choice of the new pontiff, the parish community celebrated the start of the papacy with photos and videos of the visits. The Church belongs to the Agostinian Order, the same as which Leo XIV is part.
At the time of visits, Predost was a bishop in Peru. The period coincided with the beginning of the priestly life of Frei Alefe Lucas Vieira, today parish priest of the Church. The religious also lived with Leo XIV in Peru during his religious formation.
“The mass of my religious profession was presided by him. He always proved to be a very close, humble person who shared the missionary spirit with the communities where he acted. He lived a long time in mission regions in Peru, and this marked him deeply,” the Friar told the Frei to CNN .
For Friar Alefe, the New Pope’s Augustinian formation and charisma should reflect on his conduct of the Church.
“He is an Augustinian par excellence. He will bring with him this charisma, which is based on interiority – God’s search left by St. Augustine -, in community life, living with the brothers and serving the church. This has already been clear in his first speech.”
The parish priest also highlighted the symbolism of the first words of the new pontiff by performing at the Basilica of St. Peter’s counter.
“Yesterday, I found it very significant when he said, ‘Peace be with you’, in a world marked by wars and division. It was a clear message about the tone of his pontificate. He also talked about building bridges and that the church is for everyone. This shows that he intends to follow the legacy left by Pope Francis.”
Robert Francis Prevost He joined the Novitiate of the Order of St. Augustine (OSA) in 1977, in the province of Our Lady of Bom Council, in Chicago, with training in St. Louis. He made his first religious profession on September 2, 1978 and issued the solemn votes on August 29, 1981.
Between 2001 and 2007, he acted as a prior general of the Order of St. Augustine. In 2015, he was appointed Bishop of Chiclayo, Peru, by Pope Francis. In 2023, he was called to Rome to assume the mission of mayor of the Dicker for the bishops and president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.
Robert Prevost has been in Brazil several times
Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was traveling to Brazil before the conclave that turned him into Papa Leo XIV, according to information from the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (CNBB), but the pontiff was in the country before.
The Holy Father visited Brazil a few times. In addition to Rio de Janeiro, he was in São Paulo, in the cities of São José do Rio Preto, Campinas and the Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida, and visited the state capital and the Agostinian College Mendel.
The now Pope would participate in the General Assembly of Bishops of 2025, promoted by CNBB, at the National Sanctuary of Aparecida (SP).
See places visited by Pope Leo XIV in Brazil
This content was originally published in “very humble person”: Parish priest recalls Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Rio on the CNN Brazil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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