A Message from Bishop Bosco on the Election of Pope Leo XIV

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

With great joy and renewed hope, we welcome the election of Pope Leo XIV, the new Bishop of Rome and successor of St Peter. His election is a gift to the whole Church, and I invite everyone in the Diocese of Clifton to keep him in our hearts and prayers in these first days of his ministry. In his first words to the world, Pope Leo XIV greeted us with the timeless blessing: “Peace be with you all.” He reminded us that this was the first greeting of the Risen Christ, the Good Shepherd who gave His life for the flock of God. He expressed his desire for this peace to enter our hearts, reach our families, and extend to all people, everywhere on earth.

By choosing the name Leo, our new Holy Father aligns himself with a towering figure in our tradition: Pope St Leo the Great, the first pope in history to be honoured with the title “the Great.” He earned it not through power or prestige, but through his holiness, wisdom, and tireless defence of the faith during times of crisis. He reminded Christians not just who we are, but whose we are: “No one, however weak, is denied a share in the victory of the cross. No one is beyond the help of the prayer of Christ.”

That same call echoes in our own time. Pope Leo XIV takes up his role as shepherd of the universal Church at a moment when the world is yearning for unity, meaning, and mercy. We pray that, like his namesake, he will lead with courage, clarity, and deep pastoral love.

Here in the Diocese of Clifton, as we continue to listen, renew, and go out in mission, we offer Pope Leo our loyalty and affection. May he know that the people of this diocese are with him, walking together in faith and in friendship with Christ.

O Holy Spirit, strengthen our new Pope, guide him in wisdom and peace, and bless the Church he now leads.

Oremus pro Pontifice nostro Leone – let us pray for Pope Leo.

Rt Rev Bosco MacDonald, Bishop of Clifton

Pope Francis – Requiescat in Pace

Pope Francis has died aged 88, the Vatican Press Office has confirmed. He served as the 265th successor of St Peter from his election on 13 March 2013 to 21 April 2025.

A Tribute to Pope Francis
Today, Easter Monday, with deep sorrow and deeper gratitude, we mourn the death of His Holiness Pope Francis—a shepherd whose life radiated humility, compassion, and a joyful faith. As the Church throughout the world reflects on his extraordinary legacy, we give thanks to God for the gift of this remarkable servant of Christ.

Pope Francis lived the Gospel with simplicity and sincerity. From choosing to live in Casa Santa Marta to washing the feet of prisoners, his every gesture pointed to a Church that is close to the poor and tender with the wounded. He called bishops and priests to be “shepherds with the smell of the sheep,” and he reminded all of us that true leadership is found in service.

He renewed the Church not through power but through listening. His vision was shaped by the Second Vatican Council—synodal, inclusive, and missionary. In his encyclicals Laudato Si’ and Fratelli Tutti, he called us to care for our common home and to live as brothers and sisters in an often divided and weary world.

In his most recent encyclical letter, Dilexit Nos, Pope Francis reflected on the heart of Christ as a place of “openness, gift and encounter.” It is there, he said, that we learn how to live with one another “in wholesome and happy ways,” building a world shaped by love and justice.

With the tenderness of a true shepherd, he called the Church to walk gently with others, to listen with the heart, and to witness to the quiet, patient power of love. A Jesuit at heart, and a bridge-builder to the end, Pope Francis fostered dialogue across religions, cultures, and ideologies. He urged us to meet others with mercy, never harsh judgment.

Above all, he will be remembered for his love—for God, for the Church, and for every person.

As we commend him to the Lord, may we honour his memory by living the joy of the Gospel, walking with the poor, and keeping our hearts open to all.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Amen.

+Bosco

Bishop of Clifton