In the spirit of Nostra Aetate, the Australian Council of Christians and Jews sends greetings to Pope Leo XIV. This election of Pope Leo inspires hope that he will continue to foster mutual respect and understanding between Catholics and the Jewish community.
Greeting the election of Pope Leo XIV
The Australian Council of Christians and Jews joins the Catholic community in celebrating the election of Pope Leo XIV (Robert Francis Prevost) as the new leader of the Catholic Church.
As the first pope with dual citizenship in the United States and Peru, he reflects the Church’s growing global diversity and the hopes of many faithful, especially in Peru where he served for years as a missionary and later as bishop and archbishop.
As a former student of renowned interfaith leader and former President of the International Council of Christians and Jews, Fr. John Pawlikowski, we trust Pope Leo XIV will bring with him a deep appreciation for Christian-Jewish relations and the legacy of reconciliation and friendship between our two traditions.
This experience, coupled with his pastoral work in multicultural settings, inspires hope that he will continue to foster mutual respect and understanding between Catholics and the Jewish community.
While Pope Leo XIV has not yet been prominent in Jewish-Catholic dialogue or made public statements on related issues, his formation under Pawlikowski and in the post-Vatican II era suggests a strong grounding in the principles of openness, respect, and bridge-building with other faiths.
His first address as Pope called for building “bridges through dialogue, through encounter,” further reflects these values: “peace, charity and to be
close to those who suffer’.
We look to Pope Leo XIV to be a bridge-builder who honours the legacy of recent popes and advances a spirit of friendship, respect, and cooperation with the Jewish community. May his papacy be marked by peace, inclusivity, and strengthened bonds among all faiths and traditions.
