When the white smoke filled the Vatican sky recently, as a Vincentian family, we prayed the successor for St. Peter would be one who knew and loved the poor as our Founders and as Pope Francis did during his tenure.

We are blessed that Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, now, Pope Leo XIV, emerged on that balcony as our new spiritual shepherd.

There are many aspects of his identity to find hope in, but his mom being a double alum from one of our Vincentian Universities, DePaul, is quite exciting. Although he was significantly formed in the Augustinian tradition, there is no doubt that he was first formed by a mother who knew the way of Vincent.

We should also be excited in his choosing the name, Leo XIV, as he echoes the legacy of the last Leo who instituted Catholic Social Teaching. Often considered the “best kept secret in the Church,” we can only hope that this Leo will also shine light on the rights of workers, option for the poor and vulnerable, stewardship of creation, a spirit of solidarity, among other related components of human dignity.

As an American, one must wonder if his election is to challenge the spirit of individualism of his home country, where the most vulnerable are often dismissed, forgotten, or removed, and where power is claimed by force and by greed. Like St. Pope John Paul II’s impact during the rise of communism, what will be Leo’s impact as global politics near its boiling point, with the US adding heat by the day.

His recent tweets, as Cardinal, provide further insight into his critical views on how we treat immigrants and refugees in America, and given his many years in ministry Peru, we can expect him to have a heart and love for the poor.

However, despite all of this, we should remain open to the unexpected. Most of all, we should be hopeful that he will be a Pope for all- especially those on the margins of society.

With hope and gratitude, the Holy Spirit has clearly entered the scene by giving us a new faith leader to shepherd us forward. We pray that Pope Leo XIV will shed light on broken systems that cause injustice and our responsibility to transform them to improve the realities of the most vulnerable. We pray, formed by his Vincentian upbringing, we will all be invited to find Christ there and to be challenged to claim our individual and communal role to answer his call with an astounding yes.

May God bless Pope Leo XIV and all who hear his words as he points us to the way of Christ in this time in human history.

Jimmy Walters, NGO Representative at the United Nations, Sisters of Charity Federation