Dear friend of Napa,
Pope Leo XIV’s inaugural Mass was a historic moment in the life of the Church—and I was blessed to be there in person to witness it, together with a quarter of a million people in St. Peter’s Square.
We were all there to welcome the 267th successor of St. Peter. And for me, it was actually a return to Rome in quick succession. From late April to mid-May, Steph, myself, and about 50 of our dearest Napa Institute friends had been in Italy for our long-planned pilgrimage. Little did we know we’d be there for the funeral of Pope Francis—and the election of the first American Pope!
When I first heard that Pope Leo’s inaugural Mass was scheduled for May 18, I asked the Lord in prayer: Send me a sign if you want me to go back. Not long after, I received a providential message from Fr. Henry Stephan, a Dominican priest I met through Phil Muñoz of Notre Dame. Without any prompting, Fr. Stephan told me he had two tickets for the Mass. Ask the Lord, and ye shall receive!
The inaugural Mass was everything the faithful hoped for—and more. It was a true spiritual summit. The two-hour liturgy, including the Angelus, was deeply moving. I brought along rosaries from my recent pilgrimage and had them all blessed during the ceremony.
As the Pope personally prayed the Opening Collect, his voice carried with it the weight and clarity of a shepherd accepting his sacred duty:
“O God, who in your providential design willed that your Church be built upon Blessed Peter, look with favor on me, your servant, whom you have chosen as the successor of Peter. Grant that I may always be for your people a visible source and foundation of unity in faith and charity…”
It was surreal to witness history unfold. Pope Leo XIV stood not as a politician or a celebrity, but as the Vicar of Christ, speaking to God on behalf of the Church and the world. I wasn’t alone in my feeling of awe. I was seated with many Dominican Fathers and Sisters, and after the Mass, we joined a variety of friends for a shared pranzo, or lunch.
Now we look forward to his hopefully long and fruitful papacy. At age 69, Pope Leo XIV may well lead the Church for the next two decades. And he chose his name with purpose. Like Leo XIII, who led the Church through the rise of the Industrial Revolution and pioneered Catholic Social Teaching , Leo XIV envisions a Church engaged with the moral challenges of our day—artificial intelligence, technological upheaval, and global fragmentation.
Already, Pope Leo XIV is emerging as a moral compass for our world—a world plagued by division, war, and moral confusion. We pray that he leads the Church well amid these challenges; that the Holy Spirit guide him; and that our Church and our world grow in faith and hope in the days ahead.
As a tribute to Pope Leo XIV, we will feature panels and presentations to learn more about Robert Prevost and his rise to the papacy at the summer conference July 23-27, 2025.
