From our Bishop - July 2025

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ

The day after Easter Sunday — still glowing with the light of Christ’s Resurrection — our beloved shepherd, Pope Francis, was called home to God. In the days that followed, the world seemed to hold its breath with us, united in both grief and a sense of reverence for a saintly man of God. And yet, amidst our mourning and final farewell to Pope Francis, a spirit of joyful anticipation began to stir. As the Church prayed together, we waited in hope — and welcomed with open hearts a new shepherd, Pope Leo XVI. It felt as though God, in His tender providence, had chosen this holiest of weeks — a time already bursting with joy and promise — to pour out even more blessings upon His Church and the world.

Born Robert Francis Prevost, O.S.A., our new Shepherd brings with him the heart of a missionary, the wisdom of a scholar,

and the soul of a servant. He is the first Bishop of Rome whose native language is English — a powerful reminder of the Church’s growing universality and diversity. Raised in a humble home in 1950s Chicago, his vocation was nurtured in the ordinary beauty of parish life and family faith. That God would raise up such a man for this moment reminds us all: He lifts up the lowly and calls whom He wills.

As an Augustinian, Pope Leo has spent his life in service — from the missions of Latin America to the administration of the global Church. Now, called to the Chair of Peter, he steps into a role not of privilege, but of deep responsibility: Servus servorum Dei—the servant of the servants of God.

At his installation, Pope Leo XIV spoke words that captured the spirit of his calling: “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.”

His words carry the echo of every holy pastor who came before him, and they ring with a freshness and sincerity we so dearly need. And the name he chose — Leo — connects us to a remarkable past. Pope Leo the first, later known as Leo the Great, stood firm in truth and led with courage in a time of turmoil. When Attila the Hun threatened Rome, Leo confronted him not with weapons, but with prayer and unwavering faith. His legacy as a protector, teacher, and unifier shaped the Church for generations. By choosing the name Leo, our Holy Father signals his hope to follow in that noble tradition: to speak with clarity, to lead with compassion, and to serve with courage.

These days have been filled with both tears and thanksgiving. We have said goodbye to a beloved Holy Father, and we have welcomed another — called not by his own choosing, but by God’s design. We rejoice in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, and now, in that same spirit, we rejoice in this new chapter of our Church.

Viva il Papa! Viva Leo XIV! May his mission be blessed. May his heart be strengthened. And may the whole Church walk with him, united in faith, hope, and love in our eternal shepherd, Jesus Christ, who has risen and who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen!
Yours in Christ

+ Michael Gielen
Bishop of Christchurch