With deep joy and prayerful hope, the Sisters of Charity of New York welcome the election of Pope Leo XIV, the first American-born Pontiff in the history of the Catholic Church. His election is a historic moment for the Church in the United States and for all who long for leadership grounded in compassion, justice, and Gospel courage.
We are especially heartened by his choice of the name “Leo,” recalling Pope Leo XIII—widely regarded as the father of Catholic Social Teaching. His 1891 encyclical Rerum Novarum remains a foundational call to uphold the dignity of workers, care for the poor, and build a just society. As women religious deeply rooted in that same tradition, we look to Pope Leo XIV with hope that he will continue to lift up the voices of the marginalized and guide the Church with wisdom and mercy.
It is also profoundly meaningful to us that Pope Leo XIV is the first American-born Pope, just as our community was founded by St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, the first American-born saint. In a beautiful sign of Providence, Pope Leo XIV was born on September 14—the same date on which Elizabeth Ann Seton was canonized in 1975. We pray that he, like she, will embody a faith that serves, teaches, and transforms.
May the Holy Spirit guide Pope Leo XIV as he begins this sacred ministry.