Bishop Robert Brennan celebrated a special Mass of Thanksgiving for Pope Leo XIV in the Diocese of Brooklyn.
At the Vatican, the new pontiff celebrated his Inaugural Mass with a focus on unity.
In Brooklyn, a St. Francis College graduate with cerebral palsy made it her mission to walk across the stage to receive her diploma. Currents News was there.
A Texas deli owner is honoring his former childhood classmate – the current pope – with a special sandwich.
By Currents News and The Tablet Staff
Pope Leo XIV delivered the following homily in St. Peter’s Square during the Mass of Inauguration of the Petrine Ministry May 18, 2025. The homily was delivered originally in Italian.
RELATED: Pope Leo XIV Calls for ‘United Church’ In a Wounded World During Inauguration Mass
Dear brother cardinals, brother bishops and priests, distinguished authorities and members of the diplomatic corps, brothers and sisters — I greet all of you with a heart full of gratitude at the beginning of the ministry that has been entrusted to me. St. Augustine wrote: “Lord, you have made us for yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in you” (Confessions, I: 1,1).
In these days, we have experienced intense emotions. The death of Pope Francis filled our hearts with sadness. In those difficult hours, we felt like the crowds that the Gospel says were “like sheep without a shepherd” (Mt 9:36). Yet on Easter Sunday, we received his final blessing and, in the light of the resurrection, we experienced the days that followed in the certainty that the Lord never abandons his people, but gathers them when they are scattered and guards them “as a shepherd guards his flock” (Jer 31:10).
In this spirit of faith, the College of Cardinals met for the conclave. Coming from different backgrounds and experiences, we placed in God’s hands our desire to elect the new Successor of Peter, the bishop of Rome, a shepherd capable of preserving the rich heritage of the Christian faith and, at the same time, looking to the future, in order to confront the questions, concerns and challenges of today’s world. Accompanied by your prayers, we could feel the working of the Holy Spirit, who was able to bring us into harmony, like musical instruments, so that our heartstrings could vibrate in a single melody.
I was chosen, without any merit of my own, and now, with fear and trembling, I come to you as a brother, who desires to be the servant of your faith and your joy, walking with you on the path of God’s love, for he wants us all to be united in one family. Love and unity: these are the two dimensions of the mission entrusted to Peter by Jesus.
We see this in today’s Gospel, which takes us to the Sea of Galilee, where Jesus began the mission he received from the Father: to be a “fisher” of humanity in order to draw it up from the waters of evil and death. Walking along the shore, he had called Peter and the other first disciples to be, like him, “fishers of men.” Now, after the resurrection, it is up to them to carry on this mission, to cast their nets again and again, to bring the hope of the Gospel into the “waters” of the world, to sail the seas of life so that all may experience God’s embrace.
How can Peter carry out this task? The Gospel tells us that it is possible only because his own life was touched by the infinite and unconditional love of God, even in the hour of his failure and denial. For this reason, when Jesus addresses Peter, the Gospel uses the Greek verb agapáo, which refers to the love that God has for us, to the offering of himself without reserve and without calculation. Whereas the verb used in Peter’s response describes the love of friendship that we have for one another.
Consequently, when Jesus asks Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” (Jn 21:16), he is referring to the love of the Father. It is as if Jesus said to him, “Only if you have known and experienced this love of God, which never fails, will you be able to feed my lambs. Only in the love of God the Father will you be able to love your brothers and sisters with that same ‘more,’ that is, by offering your life for your brothers and sisters.”
Peter is thus entrusted with the task of “loving more” and giving his life for the flock. The ministry of Peter is distinguished precisely by this self-sacrificing love, because the Church of Rome presides in charity and its true authority is the charity of Christ. It is never a question of capturing others by force, by religious propaganda or by means of power. Instead, it is always and only a question of loving as Jesus did.
The Apostle Peter himself tells us that Jesus “is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, and has become the cornerstone” (Acts 4:11). Moreover, if the rock is Christ, Peter must shepherd the flock without ever yielding to the temptation to be an autocrat, lording it over those entrusted to him (cf. 1 Pet 5:3). On the contrary, he is called to serve the faith of his brothers and sisters, and to walk alongside them, for all of us are “living stones” (1 Pet 2:5), called through our baptism to build God’s house in fraternal communion, in the harmony of the Spirit, in the coexistence of diversity. In the words of St. Augustine: “The Church consists of all those who are in harmony with their brothers and sisters and who love their neighbor” (Serm. 359,9).
Brothers and sisters, I would like that our first great desire be for a united Church, a sign of unity and communion, which becomes a leaven for a reconciled world. In this our time, we still see too much discord, too many wounds caused by hatred, violence, prejudice, the fear of difference, and an economic paradigm that exploits the Earth’s resources and marginalizes the poorest. For our part, we want to be a small leaven of unity, communion and fraternity within the world. We want to say to the world, with humility and joy: Look to Christ! Come closer to him! Welcome his word that enlightens and consoles! Listen to his offer of love and become his one family: in the one Christ, we are one. This is the path to follow together, among ourselves but also with our sister Christian churches, with those who follow other religious paths, with those who are searching for God, with all women and men of good will, in order to build a new world where peace reigns!
This is the missionary spirit that must animate us; not closing ourselves off in our small groups, nor feeling superior to the world. We are called to offer God’s love to everyone, in order to achieve that unity which does not cancel out differences but values the personal history of each person and the social and religious culture of every people.
Brothers and sisters, this is the hour for love! The heart of the Gospel is the love of God that makes us brothers and sisters. With my predecessor Leo XIII, we can ask ourselves today: If this criterion “were to prevail in the world, would not every conflict cease and peace return?” (Rerum Novarum, 21).
With the light and the strength of the Holy Spirit, let us build a Church founded on God’s love, a sign of unity, a missionary Church that opens its arms to the world, proclaims the Word, allows itself to be made “restless” by history, and becomes a leaven of harmony for humanity.
Together, as one people, as brothers and sisters, let us walk towards God and love one another.
Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, smiles as he celebrates his inauguration Mass at the Vatican May 18, 2025. (Photo: OSV News/Claudia Greco, Reuters)
By Currents News and Justin McLellan
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — “In this our time, we still see too much discord, too many wounds caused by hatred, violence, prejudice, the fear of difference and an economic paradigm that exploits the Earth’s resources and marginalizes the poorest,” the new pope said in his homily during his inauguration Mass on May 18.
“For our part, we want to be a small leaven of unity, communion, and fraternity within the world,” he told the estimated 150,000 people gathered in and around St. Peter’s Square. “We want to say to the world, with humility and joy: Look to Christ! Come closer to him! Welcome his word that enlightens and consoles! Listen to his offer of love and become his one family: ‘In the one Christ, we are one.’”
A version of the quote from St. Augustine is Pope Leo XIV’s episcopal motto and is featured on his coat of arms.
Ecumenical and interreligious guests and more than 100 government delegations joined the new pope for Mass in St. Peter’s Square. The United States was represented by Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, accompanied by their spouses and senior White House aides.
Vance and the second lady, Usha Vance, visited Pope Francis’ tomb in the Basilica of St. Mary Major the evening before the Mass.
“He was beloved by many Catholics around the world, and I hope you will join me in praying for the repose of his soul,” he wrote in a post on X.
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Among the Christian leaders present was Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, along with other delegations from the Orthodox Churches, the Anglican Communion, the Lutheran World Federation, the World Methodist Council, the World Communion of Reformed Churches, and various evangelical and Pentecostal communities. Representatives of the Jewish community, as well as Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, Zoroastrian, and Jain traditions, were also in attendance.
Before Mass began, Pope Leo rode through the square in the popemobile for the first time since his election on May 8, greeting the faithful as cheers of “Viva il papa!” (“Long live the pope!’) poured out from the crowd. He then entered the basilica to pray at the tomb of St. Peter, accompanied by patriarchs of the Eastern Catholic Churches.
Following the Gospel reading, three cardinals from the different orders within the College of Cardinals took part in the formal beginning of the Petrine ministry: Italian Cardinal Mario Zenari placed the woolen pallium on the pope’s shoulders, symbolizing his role as shepherd of the universal Church; Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle presented him with the fisherman’s ring, evoking St. Peter’s mission to draw people into Christ’s net; and Congolese Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo offered a prayer invoking the strength of the Holy Spirit for the new pontificate.
Representing the universal Church, 12 people — clergy, religious, and laity from around the world — then came forward to offer their obedience to the new pope.
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Reflecting on the Gospel reading from St. John — in which Jesus asks St. Peter three times to tend to his sheep — Pope Leo XIV said in his homily that the ministry of Peter is rooted not in authority for its own sake, but in love that serves and unites.
“Peter is thus entrusted with the task of ‘loving more’ and giving his life for the flock,” Pope Leo XIV said. “The ministry of Peter is distinguished precisely by this self-sacrificing love, because the Church of Rome presides in charity and its true authority is the charity of Christ.”
The successor of St. Peter, he said, “must shepherd the flock without ever yielding to the temptation to be an autocrat, lording it over those entrusted to him.” Instead, “he is called to serve the faith of his brothers and sisters, and to walk alongside them.”
Pope Leo XIV also recalled the period of mourning following the death of Pope Francis, noting that the conclave that followed the late pope’s death was “a moment of grace.”
“I was chosen, without any merit of my own, and now, with fear and trembling, I come to you as a brother, who desires to be the servant of your faith and your joy, walking with you on the path of God’s love, for he wants us all to be united in one family,” he said.
“With the light and the strength of the Holy Spirit, let us build a Church founded on God’s love, a sign of unity, a missionary Church that opens its arms to the world,” he said, calling for a Church that “proclaims the word, allows itself to be made ‘restless’ by history and becomes a leaven of harmony for humanity.”
At the end of Mass, the pope called for prayers for regions affected by war: Gaza, Myanmar, and Ukraine, which “finally awaits negotiations for a just and lasting peace.”
RELATED: Peruvian-Americans in Diocese of Brooklyn ‘Elated’ With Election of New Pope
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was present for the Mass and was to have a private meeting with the pope later in the day, the Vatican press office said.
Immediately after Mass, Pope Leo XIV met with several government representatives, including Vance and Rubio, as well as Peruvian President Dina Boluarte. The Holy Father had spent more than 20 years in Peru as a missionary priest and bishop, and also has Peruvian citizenship.
By Currents News and Jessica Meditz
DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN — As the auditorium filled with cheers, Jessica Huang stood from her wheelchair, steadied her walker, and took her first steps across the stage at Kings Theatre — each one a quiet triumph.
Feelings of surrealness, strength, and resilience consumed her as she took those steps on her graduation day from St. Francis College on May 16.
Huang was born with cerebral palsy. While she is able to walk on a limited basis with assistance, she mainly uses a wheelchair to get around.
RELATED: Student With Disability Helps St. Francis College With ADA Accessibility
With the help of her physical therapy team at Rusk Rehabilitation at NYU Langone Health, Huang surprised her family by walking across the stage at Kings Theatre to accept her diploma and shake the dean’s hand.
“I feel ready to show off all my hard work,” Huang said. “I felt that after an amazing journey in college, it would be a nice moment. I’ve been walking with assistance, to some extent, all my life. But for this presentation, I wanted to do it as secretively and as independently as possible.”
Achieving this goal is two years and 144 physical therapy sessions in the making — and it was no easy feat.
“I’ve never walked in really big crowds. There’s a lot of noise, and then letting go of my walker to get my diploma and shake people’s hands requires a lot of balance and strength,” Huang said. “It was no longer just the act of walking and picking up my feet — it involved a lot of coordination, which doesn’t come second nature to people with cerebral palsy.”
Physical therapists Cassandra Ruff (left) and Katie Knote (right) assisted Jessica Huang in achieving her goal of walking across the stage on her graduation day. (Photo: Jessica Meditz)
Tools like a robotic-assisted treadmill, aquatic therapy, and hundreds of hours of physical therapy helped Huang reach her goal, her physical therapist Katie Knote said.
Knote has supported Huang for several years through physical therapy and said that the opportunity to help her walk across the stage brings her immense joy.
“It’s been such a pleasure to see her grow up,” Knote said.
“Jessica is by far one of the most unique patients that I have in the sense that she has grown into such a strong advocate for herself and a voice for the entire community of people with disabilities,” she added. “I think she serves as a role model, not just for her peers and other patients with disabilities, but also for therapists and how we can better work with these patients to help them achieve their goals.”
A successful psychology major, graduating with a 3.93 GPA, Huang has plans to pursue a master’s degree in public health with a concentration in health policy and medicine at the CUNY School of Public Health & Health Policy. She said she feels inspired to help young adults transition from pediatric to adult healthcare, as she has.
While Huang isn’t Catholic, she said she’s thrived in the faith-based environment at St. Francis College.
“Going to a Catholic school, I felt from day one that everyone has been welcoming and compassionate,” she said. “I was not used to people running and opening the door for me.
“The other thing is that it’s a small school, so there really is a sense of community.”
RELATED: St. Francis College Grad’s Life Goal: Giving Health Care to Those Who Need it Most
Tim Cecere, president of St. Francis College, credits Huang as being one of the first to break the barrier to move through the college each day, just like every other student.
During her time as a student, she met with him regularly about ways to make the campus and curriculum more inclusive for everyone.
Cecere said that Huang symbolizes “everything that is Franciscan.”
“When Jessica is around campus … we actually see in real time, in real life, what it means to be Franciscan, what it means to achieve, what it means to overcome obstacles, what it means to always have a smile on your face, to be conscious of the way you affect others, and how you inspire others,” he said. “She’s just a genuine soul. We’re so happy to have her on campus.”
Huang said she hopes others will never underestimate those with disabilities and open their minds to learn more about their experiences.
“You can do anything you put your mind to,” she said. “It’s been an amazing journey in college, and I’m really glad to be able to be succeeding, not only physically, but educationally, and moving on to this next chapter.”
The auditorium of Kings Theatre erupted with cheers as Jessica Huang walked across the stage. (Photo: St. Francis College)
By Christine Persichette and Paula Katinas
DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN — Pope Leo XIV’s pontificate has just barely begun, but he has already had an impact on Melanie Robinson’s life.
Melanie, a junior at Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School, said the new pontiff has inspired her to go to church more often.
“I am Catholic, but it’s been a bit busy in my life, so I haven’t gone to church as often as I would like,” Melanie acknowledged. “But I feel like in a new era, it can be a start of me going back.”
Melanie was one of hundreds of people who came to the Cathedral Basilica of St. James in Downtown Brooklyn for the Diocese of Brooklyn’s Mass of Thanksgiving and Prayer for Pope Leo XIV on May 19.
Sisters from the Servants of the Lord and the Virgin of Matará pray for the new pope.
RELATED: Pope Leo XIV Calls for ‘United Church’ In a Wounded World During Inauguration Mass
The Mass, which took place one day after the pontiff’s official installation at the Vatican following his May 8 election by the College of Cardinals, gave the faithful in the diocese the chance to join together to pray for him.
Bishop Robert Brennan said the elevation of Pope Leo XIV marks a fresh start for the Catholic Church.
“We’re celebrating the beginning of a new era,” he told the congregation.
As the Mass of Thanksgiving ends, Bishop Robert Brennan stops to greet students from Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School. He later said he was pleased to see young people in attendance.
Bishop Brennan urged the faithful to pray that Pope Leo XIV has a successful pontificate and to “listen to his offer to love and become this one family” in the Church.
Like Melanie and her Bishop Loughlin classmates, Bishop Brennan was in high school when a new pope ushered in a new era for the Church. In his case, it was St. John Paul II, who was elected pope in 1978, when the future Bishop of Brooklyn was a student at St. John the Baptist Diocesan High School on Long Island.
“I think back to those days and I realize that was the beginning of a whole new era in the Church because his leadership moved the Church forward for decades,” he told The Tablet.
Bishop Brennan predicted that the 69-year-old pontiff would also make a mark on the Church.
“He’s relatively young and I think he’s going to bring his own brand of leadership and challenge us in new ways,” Bishop Brennan said.
The people in the pews at St. James came to the Mass, which Bishop Brennan celebrated, with various wishes for the new pope.
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“I want less division in the Church and for him to be the true vicar of Christ,” said Lillian Gallardo, who prays for Pope Leo XIV alongside her husband Alex.
Alex Gallardo, a parishioner of Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church in Brooklyn Heights, said he would like Pope Leo XIV to look to a previous Pope Leo for inspiration.
“I hope he follows the example of Pope Leo XIII. He did a lot of good for the church. He talked about helping people,” said Gallardo, who attended Mass with his wife, Lillian.
Gloria Romero, a Peruvian-American, said she hopes the new pontiff continues the spirit of his good works in her home country. Pope Leo XIV spent more than 20 years as a priest and bishop working with underprivileged people in Peru and now holds dual American-Peruvian citizenship.
“He did such good work in my country. He was for the people. I want him to do good work for everyone in the world,” said Romero, a parishioner of St. Nicholas of Tolentine Church in Jamaica.
Mali Joseph, a junior at Bishop Loughlin who sat next to Melanie in a front pew, had a simple wish for the new pope — “I just hope that he’s able to lead the church with love and dignity.”
A religious sister from Long Island, New York is now the oldest in the world. She shares how she’s making the most of every day.
Pope Leo XIV is taking steps forward in working to bring peace to Ukraine.
Sweet treats, good eats – that’s the motto one Brooklyn baker is following as she uses her culinary skills to celebrate the first American pontiff.
By Currents News
The Holy Father has been calling for an end to the Russia-Ukraine war… and the Vatican had high hopes for the peace talks in Turkey, but little came out of the first direct talks between Russia and Ukraine in more than three years.
Their negotiating teams met in Istanbul– without the presidents of either country– and President Donald Trump said there would be no progress on peace talks until he meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
This– after President Trump was pictured on the phone to four of his key European allies– France, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Poland…
The allies said they were convinced they had the support of Trump– not only for a demand for a ceasefire on Monday that was unconditional and lasted 30 days– but also the sanctions that would follow if Russia didn’t adhere to that.
Instead– Trump, Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky all skipped the Istanbul meeting…
Some believe Putin’s absence sends a message that the Kremlin is unafraid of sanctions– and that the Russian leader had correctly gambled that Trump would not be that angry if some kind of meeting continued in Istanbul but Putin didn’t attend personally or accept a ceasefire. It seems Putin isn’t interested in a swift settlement.
A senior Ukrainian official says at Friday’s meeting– the Russian side introduced new, unacceptable demands for a ceasefire– to withdraw Ukrainian forces from parts of its own territory.
What the two sides did agree to– was to exchange one-thousand prisoners of war each– which would be the biggest swap since the war began.
Meanwhile– President Trump says he wants to meet with Putin to discuss the war as soon as possible.
“I think it’s time for us to just do it. I said, you know, they all said Putin was going and Zelensky was going. And I said, if I don’t go, I guarantee Putin is not going, and he didn’t go. I understand that – but we’re going to get it – we’re going to get it done. We’re going to get it done. 5,000 young people are being killed every single week on average, and we’re going to get it done,” President Donald Trump said.
By Katie Vasquez
With a little sugar and spice, Talyah Cruz is always cooking up delicious desserts.
It’s a hobby that has turned into her full time job with her company “Sweet Treats Good Eats.”
“I’ve always liked baking. I feel like my whole life, especially since I was a kid, I feel I was put in the family baker role almost immediately,” said Cruz.
When the new Holy Father was announced, she decided to offer a delectable option for Catholics.
“It’s a sugar cookie base. So I make the sugar cookies, use whatever shape I really feel the picture fits. Bake those off, and then I ice them, wait about 24 hours before I then screen print them, and then it gives a pretty good finish,” she explained. “It just looks quite professional,”
Cruz says it was a moment in history that had to be celebrated.
“I thought it was awesome,” she told Currents News. “It was the first American pope I heard, so I was excited and I was excited to make the cookies.”
And she hopes others will savor the sweets as much as she enjoys making them.
“I feel like it’s a good way to honor him,” she noted. “I feel like it’s a good way for people to just feel closer to him or just the religion in general, to make their day slightly better.”
If you would like a taste of the Pope Leo XIV cookies, you can order your own through her website.
By Katie Vasquez
Not a day passes that Sister Francis Dominici Piscatella doesn’t say her prayers.
The Long Island nun has a lot to be grateful for, celebrating her 112th birthday on Easter Sunday.
“It feels okay to be 112, but I, if you really think about it. I would like to be much younger,” said Sister Francis Dominici Piscatella.
It’s a milestone her friend of 71 years, Sister Francis Daniel Kammer says she nearly didn’t make.
“She had a terrible brain bleed, 10 years ago. and they thought that she was never going to walk again or talk again. and here she is walking and talking,” said Sister Francis Daniel Kammer.
Her room at the sisters of Saint Dominic Motherhouse in Amityville is filled with birthday cards and balloons. A display that shows how much an impact she’s made in the lives of others.
“She’s loyal, she’s faithful, she’s prayerful. She’s human. she’s the best friend you could ever have, thick or thin, she stays by you,” said Sister Francis Daniel Kammer.
Sister Francis Dominici now holds the record as the world’s oldest nun.
“I would say I’d like to. I would like to be the youngest sister in the world, not the oldest,” said Sister Francis Dominici.
During the course of her life, Sister Francis has witnessed 19 US presidents, two World Wars and 11 popes including the recent election of Pope Leo XIV.
“If you’re chosen to be a pope, you must be an intelligent man as well as a good religious,” said Sister Francis Dominici.
Sister Francis nearly missed her chance at religious life after losing part of her arm in an accident. Many communities rejected her.
“The convent is not a place for handicapped people. You have to work when you go to the convent. It’s not a place, it’s not a vacation area,” said Sister Francis Dominici.
But the Sisters of St Dominic opened their doors to her with a simple test.
“It used to be a big laugh with my group that entered at that time, I said, I’m here because I can open a window,” said Sister Francis Dominici.
One of her greatest accomplishments was teaching high school algebra and math for 52 years.
“This is not pride really. Praise God for giving me I was a good teacher and I was a very good teacher to students that needed extra help,” said Sister Francis Dominici.
And she explains the secret to a long life.
“I would say. God doesn’t want me. I don’t know, there’s no secret about it at all. when God wants me, he’ll take me,” said Sister Francis Dominici.
For now Sister Francis is making the most of every day she has.
By Katie Vasquez
Catholics around the globe cheered when Pope Leo XIV was chosen as the new Holy Father.
For one woman in Brooklyn, the monumental moment signaled an opportunity to put her baking skills to the test.