The election of Pope Leo XIV on May 8, 2025, has brought with it a sense of great excitement and anticipation as the new Holy Father, the first from the U.S., settles into his position as the Successor of St. Peter.
Bishop Frank J. Dewane said the election of Pope Leo XIV was the work of the Holy Spirit, and a moment of tremendous grace and blessing for the Universal Church.
“Pope Leo XIV brings with him the strength and charism of St. Augustine, and the humanity and courage of Pope Leo XIII, who was an architect of many of the social teachings of the Church,” Bishop Dewane said while also calling on the faithful of the Diocese of Venice to pray for the new Holy Father and the sacred ministry entrusted to him.
To commemorate the election of Pope Leo XIV, Bishop Dewane will celebrate a Mass in his honor at 12:15 p.m., Tuesday, May 20, 2025, at Epiphany Cathedral, 310 S. Sarasota Ave., Venice. All are welcome to attend. The Mass will be livestreamed at www.facebook.com/epiphanycathedral, or at www.epiphanycathedral.org.
Bishop Dewane said he was encouraged to hear that during Pope Leo XIV’s first Regina Caeli, he called on youth to “accept an invitation of the Church and Christ the Lord.”
“That message is something which builds upon the legacy of the Popes since St. John Paul II and shows insight into how he will define his papacy,” Bishop Dewane said.
While the Bishop does not know Pope Leo XIV well, the two spoke in depth during a dinner at the North American College in Rome in 2023, while seated next to each other.
“It was a nice evening, and we spoke about many different things,” Bishop Dewane said. “My mother was from the South Side of Chicago, where Pope Leo is from, and we spent some time discussing that. When I told him that I was from the Diocese of Venice in Florida, he smiled and said ‘Oh! I know the area well!’ He went on to say that one of his brothers lived in Port Charlotte, and that he had been to the area for a visit,” Bishop Dewane said. “He was a very humble man who expressed interest in what was happening here in Florida, and in the Diocese of Venice.”
Catholic Center
At the Catholic Center in Venice, Diocesan staffers watched the announcement of the news in the main conference room, where a livestream from the Vatican was being broadcast. Father John Belmonte, SJ, Diocesan Superintendent of Catholic Education, translated from the Italian.
As could be expected, when it was announced that an American had been elected as Pope, the group erupted with shouts of shock and joy. When Pope Leo XIV made his first appearance, a cheer went up and party poppers were set off as confetti showered the staff.
Schools
Students at Diocesan Catholic schools took great interest in the election of Pope Leo XIV, with individual classrooms and in some cases the entire student body gathered to witness Church history.
All of the students at St. Ann Catholic School in Naples gathered in the Jubilee Center to await the announcement of the new Pope. Teachers used this as a learning opportunity to explain how a pope is elected and what role the Holy Father plays in the leadership of the Universal Church.
Meanwhile, at Bishop Verot Catholic High School in Fort Myers, the election of Pope Leo XIV fell on the last day of class ahead of graduation. The school posted on social media about the twin events happening: “It’s not every day you witness a moment that’ll be in history books. It’s even rarer when it happens on your last day of high school! Talk about divine timing.”
Students at St. Martha Catholic School wrote messages to the Cardinal-electors ahead of the conclave asking that they seek the guidance of God and the Holy Spirit in choosing the next Holy Father. They were surprised by the election of an American Pope.
Parishes
The faithful across the Diocese of Venice learned about the election of Pope Leo XIV via television or the internet, with everyone curious to learn about the man who was born in Chicago and was an Augustinian missionary.
As soon as the announcement was broadcast, preparations were made to update the prayer intentions for the next Masses to include prayers for the Pontificate of Leo XIV.
St. Joseph Parish in Bradenton put up their traditional Easter Season decorations of gold and white bunting, replacing the black bunting which had been put up following the passing of Pope Francis on April 21.
Dolores Conklin of St. Joseph Parish said it was exciting to have an American Pope. The news caused her to reach out to family members across the country. “It is so wonderful to talk to everyone. I immediately felt a connection to him when he came out on the balcony at St. Peter’s. His smile and his clear humility. I pray to God that he will unite the Catholic Church in the United States and around the world.”
George Connor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Osprey was fascinated that the new Pope was from a religious order, just as Pope Francis was. “He is a man of the world. He is from Chicago, but he has been everywhere. He has seen the poor where they are. That must have had an impact on him. I pray he has the strength and grace to lead the Church during these turbulent times.”
