9 May 2025
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Grace and peace to you in the name of Jesus Christ our Risen Lord!
With great joy and deep gratitude to God, I share with you the wonderful news of the election of Pope Leo XIV as the 267th Pope and 266th Successor of Saint Peter, Bishop of Rome, Vicar of Jesus Christ, and Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church. In this moment of profound significance for the Church, we rejoice in the guidance of the Holy Spirit and give thanks for the gift of our new Holy Father.
In the words of our Lord to Simon Peter, “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18), the Petrine Ministry stands as a divine mandate for unity, faith, and service in the Church. As Successor of Saint Peter, our Holy Father carries the responsibility of shepherding the People of God, sustaining the unity of the Church, and bearing witness to the Gospel in every corner of the world.
As Bishop of Rome, Leo XIV stands as the first among equals in the College of Bishops, a sign and servant of communion among all the bishops and the faithful entrusted to their care. We look to him with love and loyalty as he assumes this sacred ministry.
I invite all the clergy and people of the Diocese of Broken Bay to give thanks to God for the election of our new Pope. May this be a moment for us all to recommit ourselves to Christ, to unity in His Body the Church, and to the mission of proclaiming the Gospel with renewed faith and courage.
I encourage our priests to offer Mass in thanksgiving for the election of the Pope, and I ask all the faithful to join in prayer for Pope Leo XIV that the Lord may bless him abundantly with wisdom, strength, and grace as he begins his Petrine Ministry.
May Mary, Mother of the Church, intercede for Pope Leo XIV and for the whole Church, that we may walk together in faith, hope, and charity.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Bishop Anthony Randazzo