Bishops across Britain have today welcomed the election of Pope Leo XIV.
Archbishop Malcolm McMahon, the Apostolic Administrator of Liverpool and vice-president of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, said the election of the Chicago-born pontiff filled him with “a profound sense of joy”.
He said: “We as the Catholic community of the Archdiocese of Liverpool pledge our closeness in prayer and our support to Our Holy Father the Pope.”
In Birmingham, Archbishop Bernard Longley said he also welcomed “the wonderful news of the election of Cardinal Robert Prevost as our new Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV”.
He said: “As he prepared to give us his first blessing as Pope in St Peter’s Square he also gave us a message of joyful encouragement, calling us to be bridge-builders who are the light of Christ in the world.
“As the first Pope from the United States of America he also remembered the people of Chiclayo in Peru where he had served as bishop until 2023.
“I have just spent the last few days at Buckfast Abbey with all the bishops of England and Wales as we prayed for the cardinals in conclave and as we waited to hear whom the Holy Spirit would identify as the Successor of Peter.
“It will be a great joy to serve the Church’s mission inspired by the guidance of Pope Leo. All the lay faithful, the Religious and clergy of our Archdiocese are praying for our new Holy Father that he may serve the Church for many years and be richly blessed in his apostolate.”
Welcoming Pope Leo, Archbishop John Wilson of Southwark noted that "the Petrine ministry is one of service, rooted not in power, but in the person of Christ".
He said: "The authority of the Holy Father is given by the Lord Jesus Himself, not to point to himself, but to lead us ever closer to the face of Christ. In a world marked by uncertainty and division, Pope Leo is called to be a sign of unity and a herald of hope — guiding us to the truth of the Gospel, and to the peace that only Christ can give.
“Now more than ever, we need to fix our gaze on the Lord Jesus. It is by placing him at the centre of our lives that we find the strength to meet life’s challenges, and the peace our hearts long for. Pope Leo stands among us as a servant of that hope, reminding us that our salvation lies in Christ alone.
“I invite each one of you to look to our new Holy Father with the obedience of faith and affection. Let us listen to his voice as he leads us in fidelity to Christ and the mission of his Church. Like him, may we be renewed in our own commitment to love the Lord Jesus above all things, and to care for one another with the tenderness of the Gospel."
In Wales, Archbishop Mark O’Toole of Cardiff-Menevia said the new Pope was assured of the prayers, love and fidelity of the Catholics of South Wales and Herefordshire
He said: “With his global experience and deep faith, I know he will be lovingly received, not only by Catholics, but by fellow Christians, people of all faiths and all men and women of goodwill. He will make an outstanding contribution to peace and stability in our world.“Long live the Pope.”
The Catholic bishops of Scotland issued a collective statement in welcome of the election of Pope Leo, in which they invited prayers for the new pontificate.
“During his short address to the faithful from the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica, Pope Leo highlighted that his pontificate would be a service of peace,” the bishops said.
“His opening words were the greeting of the risen Christ to his disciples, ‘Peace be with you’; a greeting given by our Lord to those who were afraid and doubting.
“Pope Leo prayed that peace would enter the hearts of all men and women, of all families and nations and that evil would be overcome.”
They said: “Pope Leo reminded the crowds that he is a son of St Augustine, the great saint and doctor of the Church, who brought light and understanding to a world that was falling apart in the 4th century.
“We pray that our new Holy Father will bring that same spirit of peace, light and understanding to all men and women in Scotland and throughout the world, that the Church will embrace those who are afraid and doubting. God bless our Pope.”
Diocesan bishops throughout Britain issued individual messages to the faithful of their dioceses.
Bishop Richard Moth of Arundel and Brighton praised Leo as a pastor of great experience, adding: “His prayer for peace in his first words from the balcony at St Peter’s will resonate with Catholics and all people of good will. This is a significant moment for the Catholic Church and for the world.”
Bishop Stephen Wright of Hexham and Newcastle said he was “overjoyed” and also noted the commitment of Leo to peace-making and bridge-building.
Bishop Marcus Stock of Leeds has asked the Apostolic Nuncio to Great Britain, His Excellency Archbishop Miguel Maury Buendia, to convey to Leo XIV that his diocese “rejoices with all the People of God in your election as the Successor of the Apostle Peter”.
Bishop David Oakley of Northampton said: “Pope Leo will show us the power of God’s gracious love at work in our lives and calling us to a deeper experience of this love for ourselves and through us, for others. He may share with us in time, why he chose the name Leo.
“The last Pope to choose this name is known for his pastoral solicitude towards the right of workers. He was able to draw upon the theological insights of St Augustine and St Thomas Aquinas.
“He dedicated the world of his time to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the 20th century to the Holy Spirit. May we see something of this in the ministry of Pope Leo XIV?”
Bishop Patrick McKinney of Nottingham said that the “wide experience” of the new pontiff “will be a huge blessing to the Catholic Church and to the wider world”.
Bishop Mark Davies said the faithful of the Diocese of Shrewsbury promised Leo XIV “all our prayers in his service of the Universal Church.
Bishop John Arnold of Salford said that he hoped the Pope would be an “advocate for peace and a voice promoting care for our common home and our God-given dignity”.
Bishop Peter Brignall of Wrexham said: “With his scholarly background of and leadership in the Order of Saint Augustine combined with his missionary and evangelising experience I see him giving the Church both continuity and continued renewal.”
<em>Photo: Visitors view a picture of Pope Leo XIV in Westminster Cathedral on May 9, 2025 in London, England. On Thursday Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected as Pope Francis' successor to lead the Roman Catholic Church and will now be known as Pope Leo XIV. Prevost was born in Chicago, making him the first American pope, but has spent much of his career in Peru, where he is a nationalised citizen. As Pope, he becomes the spiritual leader of more than one billion Catholics around the world. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images)</em>
