With a New Pope Comes a New Hope
Dear Editor,
I am writing to express heartfelt reflection and hope in light of a profound historical moment for the global community: the election of His Holiness, Pope Leo XIV, as the 267th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church and the first pope from the United States.
As a Pakistani American Muslim, this moment resonates deeply not only with the Catholic community but with people of all faiths and backgrounds. Pope Leo’s election represents far more than a religious milestone — it symbolizes a new era of spiritual and moral leadership in a time desperately in need of unity, compassion, and healing.
His first words, “Peace be with all of you,” echo far beyond St. Peter’s Square. They are a universal message that speaks to the shared longing for peace in every human heart, regardless of creed, nationality, or culture. In a world too often fragmented by political strife, religious intolerance, and social division, this message is both timely and timeless.
Pope Leo’s rise offers an extraordinary opportunity to reignite global efforts toward interfaith dialogue, mutual respect, and ethical leadership. It invites each of us to engage in conversations that uplift the dignity of all people and to build bridges rather than walls.
His American roots and multicultural experience further position him uniquely to foster understanding across diverse communities. We must see this moment not only as a celebration for Catholics worldwide but as a global call to shared humanity.
As members of a deeply interconnected world, we are reminded that hope and harmony can prevail when guided by leaders committed to compassion, justice, and inclusion. May the papacy of Pope Leo inspire us all to strive for a world where peace is not merely preached but practiced, where dialogue triumphs over division, and where every individual is treated with dignity and love.
Abdul Rauf Bhally
Dyker Heights
Thank You for Sharing My Story
Dear Editor,
It was a privilege to share something of my faith and cancer journey via Currents News and The Tablet (“Despite Cancer Battle, Priest Leans On His Faith to Persist in Ministry,” Page 3) in the context of my recent assisting at St. Sebastian’s, Woodside.
I am grateful, too, for the supportive and caring way that Currents News’ Katie Vasquez and The Tablet’s Bill Miller conducted their interviews; they really made me feel at home.
Whenever I venture into the media world, I do so with the aspiration that it will not be for my glory but the glory of God. I also aspire that my story will be a source of hope for others to come to a deeper trust in Jesus, our Savior, Good Shepherd, our Emmanuel — “God with us.”
This hope is all the more relevant and important when the shadow of the cross falls across our lives and those of our loved ones. I feel vindicated in all this by Pope Leo XIV’s first papal address.
He spoke of a “practical atheism” that can affect even baptised Christians when one’s faith is weak: [Such a] “lack of faith is often tragically accompanied by the loss of meaning in life, the neglect of mercy, appalling violations of human dignity, the crisis of the family and so many other wounds that afflict our society. … This is the world that has been entrusted to us, a world in which… we are called to bear witness to our joyful faith in Jesus the Savior. … It is essential to do this, first of all, in our personal relationship with the Lord, in our commitment to a daily journey of conversion.”
Since the article was written, I’ve withdrawn from my happy stay in St. Sebastian’s to have an intensive course of chemotherapy at Memorial Sloan Kettering.
I am currently recovering with my family. Prayers are appreciated and I will post updates on my personal blog at frmorty.wordpress.com.
Father Morty O’Shea
Woodside