On May 8, 2025, University President Peter Kilpatrick shared the following message with the campus community.
Dear Catholic University Community,
I am delighted and grateful to God to congratulate Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost on his election as the 266th successor of St. Peter. I pray that the Lord will bless and guide Pope Leo XIV, and use his ministry of preaching, evangelization, and service to build up the family of God across the globe. His opening remarks in St. Peter’s Square this afternoon strongly suggest that he will do exactly that. He began his ministry with words of peace to all and reminded all of us in the Church to be bridge-builders, instruments of peace and love.
As the national University of the Catholic Church in the United States, let us offer our new Holy Father our prayerful support and our earnest collaboration in his mission. We should feel a special closeness to him both because he is the first American pope and because his regnal name calls to mind our founder, Leo XIII.
We look forward to someday welcoming Pope Leo XIV to our campus here in our nation’s capital.
In imitation of our new Holy Father, please join us at 4:45 p.m. this afternoon in St. Vincent’s Chapel to pray a rosary and celebrate Mass for our new pope.
Sincerely,
Peter Kilpatrick
President
The Catholic University of America
