Father Sean Connolly, pastor of St. Margaret of Cortona in the Bronx, told Newsmax on Monday that Pope Leo XIV wants the Catholic Church to be "an agent for the common good of all."
The Pope reportedly called for unity and a missionary spirit, as well as serving with faith and joy while giving his homily during his inaugural Mass in front of St. Peter's Basilica on Sunday.
"This isn't just professing Catholics, but all men and women of goodwill and that comes with proclaiming the truth as he did in that message, but the truth being proclaimed in the spirit of love," Connolly said on Newsmax's "Wake Up America." "That is what we've seen so far, that has been just so great about Leo's pontificate – clear teachings of truth, but done with a mild manner in the spirit of love. And I think that's what we're going to continue to see in the days, weeks, months and, God willing, the years ahead."
Since the papal conclave earlier this month that saw Leo elected as the new pontiff on the fourth ballot, Connolly said that he's felt a shift in the world's perception of the Catholic Church.
"This may seem like a silly phrase, but it's one that I've been using these past weeks – you'll permit me for saying it, I'm a little biased, I'm obviously a Catholic priest – but I said the Catholic Church has what the youth say today is main character energy," he said.
"It really seems like a main character on the world stage, or certainly at least in the stage of world religions. It's really uplifting for me as a Catholic priest, a simple parish priest, to see the world's attention drawn towards Rome, the eyes of the world looking to the chimney of the Sistine Chapel to see who the new Pope would be."
"I think there's a sense in the subconscious of all people that the Bishop of Rome is really a figure that is synonymous with Christianity at large," he continued. "This is the largest religion in the world, so it has an important role to play, to say at the very least, in bringing people together, trying to foster unity and peace.
"I think the Catholic Church is the best agent at doing that than any individual government or certainly international organizations like the United Nations or the European Union. I think we're best looking at the Catholic Church as that source of unity, to be an agent of peace."
Vatican watchers were shocked when white smoke poured out of the chimney of the Sistine Chapel and American Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost – now Leo XIV – was revealed as the 267th Pope. The Chicago-born Prevost had spent much of his time working as a missionary in Peru before being appointed a cardinal by the late Pope Francis.
GET TODAY NEWSMAX+:
NEWSMAX is the fastest-growing cable news channel in America with more than 30 million people watching!
Reuters Institute reports NEWSMAX is one of the top news brands in the U.S.
You need to watch NEWSMAX today.
Get it with great shows from Rob Schmitt, Greta Van Susteren, Greg Kelly, Carl Higbie, Rob Finnerty – and many more!
Find the NEWSMAX channel on your cable system – Go Here Now
BEST OFFER:
Sign up for NEWSMAX+ and get NEWSMAX, our streaming channel NEWSMAX2 and our military channel World at War.
Find hundreds of shows, movies and specials.
Even get Jon Voight's special series and President Trump's comedy programs and much more!
Watch NEWSMAX+ on your smartphone or home TV app.
Watch NEWSMAX anytime, anywhere!
Start your FREE trial now: NewsmaxPlus.com
Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.