Faith

Friday, May 1, 2026Faith

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On May 8, at 1:15 p.m., it will be exactly one year since that first appearance on the balcony. I respectfully ask that we remember Pope Leo XIV on that day and wish him "ad multos annos."

Archbishop Richard G.
Henning

The traditional Latin greeting, "ad multos annos," is a congratulatory wish for many more years. It is often used to celebrate the anniversary of a priest or bishop. On May 8, 2026, Pope Leo XIV will complete the first year of his Pontificate, and I hope for many more years of his ministry to the Universal Church. From the moment he appeared on the balcony at St. Peter's, Pope Leo has addressed us with a serene and joyful demeanor. He has maintained his composure in the face of tumultuous world events and used his voice to counsel peace, compassion, and the power of kindness. As a Pope who spent much of his ministry in the missions, his preaching is direct, accessible, and biblical.
His first greeting to the world offered the words of the Lord: "Peace be with you." In his writings and homilies, Pope Leo reminds us that the Lord Jesus Himself is that peace. This is why that greeting was so important in its original uttering and such an electric moment on the day of the Holy Father's election. Biblical peace is about right relationship, and it is the Lord Jesus Who restores us to peace with the Father, with each other, and with ourselves.
The Holy Father has also taken up Pope Francis's summons to go out from our churches to encounter others and live with compassion. Likewise, Pope Leo has called us to imitate the Lord's own preference for the poor and suffering.

His choice of the name Leo has also proven very significant. Leo XIII led the Church during years of tremendous economic and social change in the aftermath of the Industrial Revolution. He drew theologians into dialogue and study of the social implications of the Church's moral teaching, and in the search for engagement between the Church and society. The path to the Second Vatican Council truly began in Leo XIII's pontificate as he sought to engage the modern world. Pope Leo XIV chose this name and legacy, mindful of the significant economic and social changes of our own day. He sees the key questions about the nature of the human person and labor in an increasingly technological world, and one that has vast divisions between "haves" and "have-nots." Pope Leo perceives the value of the Second Vatican Council and its ongoing effects in our own day. He has proven to be a unifying figure in a divided age and a joyful evangelizer. One year on, he is still serene and boldly calls upon all of us to live that peace offered by the Lord.
On May 8, at 1:15 p.m., it will be exactly one year since that first appearance on the balcony. I respectfully ask that we remember Pope Leo XIV on that day and wish him "ad multos annos." I have invited our parishes to ring their bells at 1:15 and to use the votive Mass for the anniversary of the Holy Father's election on that day. I invite the religious and clergy who keep the Divine Office to add the Te Deum, the great prayer of thanks to God, as we would for Sundays and solemnities. I humbly suggest that it would be a beautiful thing for all of us to pray the rosary for Pope Leo that day.
God bless Pope Leo XIV on his first anniversary. May he receive strength and wisdom from the Lord, and may he shepherd us for many more years!

- Archbishop Richard G. Henning is the Archbishop of Boston