From Cebu to Rome: Pope Leo XIV's deep ties with the Philippines

From Cebu to Rome: Pope Leo XIV's deep ties with the Philippines

MANILA, Philippines — Filipinos will find a familiar friend in the newly elected Pope Leo XIV. Before he was elevated to the Chair of Saint Peter, Cardinal Robert Prevost, OSA, had walked Philippine soil many times, not as a visiting dignitary, but as a missionary friar deeply engaged with the local Church. As Prior General of the Order of Saint Augustine (OSA) from 2001 to 2013, he led numerous visits to the archipelago, blessing churches, spea…

Today we look back at a special moment in 2010, when Rev. Fr. Robert Francis Prevost, OSA visited the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebu. Today, he is the 267th, Pope Leo XIV, the Pope of the Catholic Church. The photo taken by Mr. Britz Briones shows the calm and humble priest participating in the activities of the basilica, no one expected him to become the Pope in the future. This image reminds us of the meaning of service and faith, and …