The Pope’s brother has said Leo XIV is looking to “strengthen the Catholic faith” as birthday wishes have begun pouring in from Catholics and international figures for the Pope’s birthday.
As the American Pontiff marks his 71st birthday on September 14, the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, embassies, bishops, Catholic organisations and religious orders have issued messages of congratulations to him.
The U.K. Embassy to the Holy See expressed “best wishes to His Holiness on this special day and for the year ahead,” while the U.S. Embassy also published birthday wishes.
Fellow Chicago native Cardinal Blase Cupich was among the many cardinals and bishops taking too social media to post birthday messages. “Let us pray that the Lord may continue to bless the Holy Father with wisdom, strength and joy as he leads the Church and serves God’s people,” he wrote.
Fox News also sent birthday wishes, as did local Chicago news stations and political figures such as Republican Congressman Rep. Riley Moore.
The Pontiff’s brother John also spoke to Italian news outlet TG5 on the occasion of Leo’s birthday. John Prevost provided details of his holiday spent with Leo over the summer at Castel Gandolfo, during which time he joined the Pope in unofficial trips to monasteries and were shown the papal residence back at the Vatican.
“He hasn’t collapsed yet,” said Prevost about his brother and the weight of the papacy. Leo, said his brother, is “approaching the situation with a certain amount of humour, with strength and with the determination to do something to help make the world a better place.”
He “wants to strengthen the Catholic faith around the world,” John stated.
Interviewed by Vatican News, the Augustinian Prior General Father Joseph Farrell told the Pope that his Augustinian brethren were always “with and for” the Pope as an “Augustinian family”. Farrell highlighted Leo’s own years as Prior General, praising the Pope for his service.
Order of Malta Grand Master, Fra’ John T. Dunlap issued a message far more expansive and profound than most. “At a time marked by deep and growing divisions, conflicts and suffering, I wish to express to Your Holiness my own and the Order’s special closeness; for centuries, the Order has placed the defence of the faith and service to the poor and the suffering at the heart of its mission,” he wrote. “Your tireless work for peace, dialogue and brotherhood serves as a precious reminder to us all to renew, with humility and determination, our commitment to those most in need of support and hope”.
Meanwhile the Italian Bishops’ Conference praised the Pope for his constant appeals for peace and for highlighting “the priority of the life of the Church, the source of faith understood as an encounter with the dead and risen Christ.”
The Pope visited the Vatican library in the morning inaugurating an exhibition on water and ordering an expansion of the Apostolic library. He was greeted by members of the papal household and Vatican officials who sang the Pope happy birthday and presented him with a cake.
Michael Haynes is an English journalist in the Holy See Press Corps. He serves as Vatican Correspondent for the Catholic Herald, while readers can follow him at Per Mariam and on X @MLJHaynes.
