Pope Leo XIV to the group of Chiclayo, Peru: our god of surprises has made a very big

The faithful of the Diocese of Chiclayo, a city on the north coast of Peru, of some 900,000 inhabitants, will never forget where they were or what they were doing on Thursday, May 8, when Cardinal Protodiácono, Dominique Mamberti, announced that the new Pope of the Catholic Church was his former bishop, Roberto Prevost.

Many decided to make their bags and travel to Rome; And today he has received them in the Vatican at an audience of just over 15 minutes, he developed in a family and warm atmosphere.

Fr. Guillermo Inca Pereda, deputy secretary of the Peruvian Episcopal Conference that yesterday participated in the rite of obedience in the Mass of the start of the Pontificate, told ACI Prensa that today’s meeting, with about 60 Peruvians, gave himself “in a very, very cordial, very close, very fraternal climate, Pope León went to us with great tenderness”.

“I would say to the point that we felt almost at home, it was really wonderful and the Peruvians, you know how we are, they were taking many gifts, but above all much love, intense love of the Holy Father,” added the priest.

The word of Pope Leo XIV

“Here they will see me without a role, because here I feel at home,” said the Holy Father at the beginning of the meeting, according to Aci Prensa one of the attendees, who preferred not to give his name.

In his improvised speech, Pope Leo XIV recalled that, when in 1998 he was a trainer of the Augustinians in Trujillo, another city to the north of Peru near Chiclayo, he had to return to Chicago (USA) to be a prior provincial Augustine there, and a religious said: “Father Roberto, our God is a god of surprises and every day he will give you another.”

Then the Holy Father shared how the last days with Pope Francis were, when there was hope that his “improvements would continue”, but it was not so and finally died on April 21, Easter Monday.

Leo XIV and the “god of surprises”

“And never, sincerely I tell you, I never went through the mind that what happened was going to happen. And again I think, our god of surprises has made a very great this time. But as I have also said at some point as a spiritual director or accompanying other people, you have to know how to accept the will of God even if you do not like or not be easy,” said Pope Leo XIV, the first American and Peruvian pontiff of history.

“One puts his life in the hands of the Lord and says, here I am Lord, what you send, whatever you want,” he said.

“And well, in that spirit today I am here with you and with the whole Church, telling a lot about your prayers. You know very well that Peru is very present in my life, in my heart,” said the Pope, after which the Peruvian delegation broke out in applause.

What Peru can offer to the world

Pope León then highlighted the testimony of faith and the friendship of Peruvians, something that “Peru can offer the world. This is very beautiful.” “And thanks to you, thanks to Peru for all that solidarity, for accompanying in those days with so many manifestations of affection and friendship. Thank you all.”

To conclude, the Pope recalled that Chiclayo, a city of which he was Bishop, “appeared in the first speech. Long live Chiclayo!”

After giving his blessing, Leo XIV said: “Thank you very much and live Peru!”

Pope León loves Peru

Fr. Inca also told ACI Press that “he expects a great challenge as Peruvians as Latin Americans. Pope León loves Peru. He has it in his heart very strongly.”

“This is how most experienced today at the audience that gave all Peruvians about 60, here in Rome and that commits us to work seriously in the pastoral lines that he is announcing, and commit to an evangelization with desire, with enthusiasm, with fidelity to the Lord who challenge us in the current times,” he said.