Dear friends,

Warm greetings from Berlin, where the pilgrim group will be staying for two days before continuing to Poland. Anne Sullivan, Laszlo, Yvette, Anne Mendes, and Eulogio are joining us from our parish. The rest are from Glenbrook, my former parish.

In addition to the tourist activities, we also celebrate Holy Mass daily, during which we also pray for the parishioners. Fortunately, the weather was very good, and we also enjoyed culinary delicacies, such as sausages in the morning, sausages at lunch, and sausages in the evening, and beer at any time of day.

Many were surprised that I speak German very well.

Here in Germany, many are also surprised by the election of the new pope, even though many Germans welcome it. They hope that Leo XIV will continue Francis’s course.

Contrary to the media, however, I was not surprised by the election of Cardinal Robert Prevost as successor of St Peter. I know “Bob” very well.

He came from a family deeply rooted in the Catholic faith. His parents, Louis and Mildred, were active in the parish and also helped many priests and religious. He studied mathematics and philosophy before joining the Augustinian order in 1977.

During his tenure as Prior General of the Augustinians, I served him as Secretary General and Finance Director of the “AUGUSTINIANUM”, where the Augustinian headquarter is located in Rome. I was very impressed by his calm and listening style of leadership. He has a natural gift for solving complicated problems without being intrusive. I experienced “Bob” as a spiritual and deeply faithful confriar. In many meetings, “Bob” has shown himself to be someone who seeks connection and unity. He is a true pastor and bridge-builder. As Pope, he wants to build bridges that will enable lasting peace in the Church and between the warring parties.

His devotion to the poor and disadvantaged is also impressive. He served as Bishop of one of poorest dioceses in Peru before becoming a Cardinal and then Pope.

As a member of religious order, Leo XIV stands for continuity. This was evident in the speech he gave on the evening of his election, which strongly emphasized his solidarity with Francis. At the same time, he wore the red mozzetta that the late Pontiff Benedict XVI also wore at his inauguration as pope. In doing so, Leo XIV underscored the importance of the tradition of the Catholic Church.

So let us pray for Pope Leo that he may carry out his ministry with wisdom, love, and faith.

Have a wonderful week ahead Fr Joe