President Luong Cuong Extends Congratulations to Newly Elected Pope Leo XIV

Pope Leo XIV, aged 69, hails from Chicago, Illinois. Prior to his papacy, he dedicated most of his career to missionary activities in South America, particularly serving as the Bishop of Chiclayo in Peru from 2015 until 2023.

In January 2023, he was selected by Pope Francis to lead the Dicastery for Bishops at the Vatican and was subsequently named a Cardinal in September.

During his inaugural speech as pope, he expressed heartfelt appreciation to the College of Cardinals for their confidence in him to lead the Church.

He shared his vision for the Catholic Church, emphasizing the importance of “building bridges” and fostering open communication. “We must work together to become a missionary Church that embraces dialogue,” he stated.

His message also included a call for everyone to “extend charity to all” and to “engage in loving dialogue.”

Tran Thuong