Pope Leo XIV
Source: Africa Publicity
The Government of South Africa has appealed to the new leader of the Catholic Church, Robert Francis Prevost otherwise known as Pope Leo XIV to continue the progressive inputs of the late Pope Francis.
South Africa’s International Relations and Cooperation Minister, Ronald Lamola, who made the appeal on behalf of his country, observed that Pope Leo XIV should engage in addressing climate challenges and ensuring global peace.
Lamola said: “We congratulate the Roman Catholic Church. We congratulate the pope for this outcome, in a democratic process that produced the pope. And we wish him well and all the best in his task and we hope that he will continue in the progressive inputs of the late pope who had brought the Roman Catholic Church to engage on very ground issues of peace of equality of resolving global challenges on climate change.”
Pope Leo XIV is the first American to become a leader of the Catholic Church and also holds citizenship in Peru, having naturalized in Peru during his days as a missionary.
The 69-year-old cardinal is the 267th occupant of the Papacy and new leader for 1.4 billion Catholics around the world.
Pope Leo spent many years in Peru where he served as a missionary and later as a bishop.
South Africa’s President, Cyril Ramaphosa, described his election as a profound moment for the Church and the global community.