Call for Thanksgiving for the New Pope Leo XIV and Prayers for the Soldiers of Our Nation

Mangaluru: The Catholic Church rejoices at the election of Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as the new Pope, succeeding Pope Francis. He has taken the name Pope Leo XIV, marking a moment of great joy and renewed hope for the global Catholic community.

As the Church embraces this new spiritual leadership, the faithful are urged to offer gratitude to God for guiding the College of Cardinals in choosing a new Pope in accordance with the will of our Lord Jesus Christ. Let us pray to God to strengthen the Supreme Pontiff in leading the Church with wisdom and faith.

At the same time, we are deeply saddened and troubled by the brutal and cowardly terrorist attack on innocent tourists in Pahalgam, Kashmir. This act of violence, which claimed precious lives and injured many, has shocked the entire nation. We stand in strong solidarity with the victims and their grieving families during this time of sorrow. As a faithful community, we offer prayers for the souls of the departed and for the swift recovery of the injured.

We also take this moment to express our heartfelt gratitude to the brave men and women of the Indian Armed Forces, who tirelessly guard our borders and protect our citizens. Let us also pray for the safety and well-being of both civilians and soldiers.

These two significant developments—a moment of thanksgiving for the election of the new Pope and a national moment of mourning—stand before us today. Let us also pray for peace between neighboring nations. During the Eucharistic celebration, let us present our prayers and thanksgiving before the Lord.

In this spirit, Bishop Peter Paul Saldanha, Bishop of Mangalore, has requested that all parish priests and chaplains in the diocese conduct a special Adoration service following the Sunday Mass on May 11, 2025, for the above intentions.