The new pope, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, 69, taking the name Leo XIV, was celebrated on May 8 with his election as the 267th Pope, the first American-born pope, in the Church’s 2,000-year history.
He is from the Order of St. Augustine. Reverend Mark Jay Bambao, a deacon, assigned to Our Lady Of Fatima Mission Area, was among those who closely prayed and monitored for a new Pope.
With the announcement from St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, he was inspired to paint with oil in the early morning hours from 5 am to 8 am, Philippine time, where he is assigned in Barangay (village) Leuteboro, Socorro town, Oriental Mindoro, under the Apostolic Vicariate of Calapan.
“I did the painting here at my parish convent. When I woke up at 4 am, I saw on social media that there was a new Pope, then I was suddenly inspired to paint him. Of course, I prayed to the Holy Spirit first like the one who led the Conclave and guided the election. That's what I'm doing, I prayed and thanked God for our new Pope, and prayed, that God would guide him,” said Bambao.
(Bambao was earlier featured on https://www.rvasia.org/feature-story/painting-strengthens-seminarians-vocation)
Bambao’s colleague at St. Augustine Major Seminary (SASMA), Frater Vince Rodolf Q Pagilagan is “glad that the new pope has qualities not far from Pope Francis.
Pagilagan is a graduating Theology seminarian and SASMA Tagaytay Apostolate Coordinator.
“It means that what the previous Pope started cannot be abandoned just because of a different perspective. Pope Leo XIV’s love for the needy and inclination to social concerns while remaining faithful to the Church Doctrines are factors which make me happy and hopeful for his servant-leadership,” he said.
“That is probably one of the reasons why he followed Leo XIII’s name who issued the Rerum Novarum (Rights and Duties of Capital and Labor) on May 15, 1891. His Doctorate in Canon Law is also a bonus which is helpful in making decisions following church law,” said Pagilagan.
He added: ”I was only nervous when some media outlets said that the other Cardinal wanted to be elected conservative and traditional before the conclave. I prayed that this would not happen. In the end, I firmly believed that God worked throughout the process. Imagine, another ‘silent’ cardinal was elected, not even once he was bannered in the social media.”
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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