The selection of US-born Robert Francis Prevost as the 267th pope may have come as a surprise to many, but Archbishop Gabriel Malzaire of Castries, asserted that it is the Spirit who guides such decisions.
Prior to becoming pope, Prevost was appointed prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America in 2023. He was appointed Cardinal that same year.
When the 69-year-old pontiff stepped onto the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica on May 8, Archbishop Malzaire remarked, “people knew he was the right person.” He added, “it was done so quickly, so the decision of the cardinals was right on target!” Archbishop Malzaire spoke to The Catholic News May 10 after his presentation at the Eucharistic Congress.
Pointing to the guidance from the Holy Spirit, he stated: “We must be aware of the presence of the Spirit. The Spirit is the one that guides. If the Spirit calls a person, it enables— it enables you to use all the traditions that you have learnt in the past to bring to the fore and help the Church in that regard. So I really have no fear.”
Sharing his initial impressions of Pope Leo XIV, Archbishop Malzaire noted the pope’s expression of humility which he described as “amazing”.
“He seems to be a person of vision, a person who wants to continue the mission of Holy Father Francis, and I have great hopes for him,” Archbishop Malzaire said.
Man of his own
Asked whether Pope Francis will be a ‘hard act to follow’, the archbishop reflected that the same was said of Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict. “Then Benedict came and did his own thing; Francis came and he did his own thing; and he [Pope Leo XIV] seems to be a man of his own”.
He emphasised that each pope brings a unique leadership style to the papacy.
The bishops of the Antilles Episcopal Conference are expected to meet Pope Leo XIV at their next ad limina visit — a trip undertaken every five years to provide the Holy See with information on the Church in the region.
The visit also includes a pilgrimage to the tombs of Saints Peter and Paul. While the exact date of the next visit is yet to be determined. The last ad limina visit took place in 2018. He mentioned that sometimes with the transition of a new pope, the meeting could “take a little while”.
He added that scheduling the meeting depends on the Holy Father’s agenda however, bishops who visit Rome individually get the opportunity to meet him.
