A Real American Hero

This month marks the one-year anniversary of the election of Cardinal Robert Prevost as Pope.

It has been exciting following our very own American-born Pope through his first year – although what has most edified me is that Leo XIV has not allowed himself to be pigeonholed as an “American Pope.” He is a missionary who belongs first to the Lord and, for his sake, to the entire world. 
This should not be surprising, since Leo’s personal background reflects no less than four ethnicities (French, Spanish, Italian, and Louisiana Creole).

After ordination and study in Rome, he spent the first two decades of his priestly life as a missionary in Peru and then traveled all over the world for 12 years as the prior general of the Augustinian Order.

As a young Little Sister of the Poor, I had the grace to live abroad. I spent only two years in France before obedience called me back to the United States, but two years were long enough for me to realize that my homeland is not the only place on earth that has been gifted with cultural, historical, and spiritual riches, as well as interesting, engaging, beautiful – and needy – people.

Although he spent much more time in Peru than I did in France, my years abroad coincided with our Holy Father’s early years in South America. Perhaps that is why I look up to him now with such admiration. Embracing other cultures as one’s own – with all the differences in language, customs, food, and so many other details of everyday life – requires both humility and magnanimity, both open mindedness and determined self-sacrifice.

When I look at Pope Leo XIV, I often remember Mother Celine, our former superior general, who was American and the first non-French leader of our congregation.

Mother Celine spent most of her long and active life in France – without ever mastering the accent – serving for many years as the mother of all the Little Sisters and elderly around the world. She once told me that we must not leave our native country to serve in another because we do not love it, but precisely because we do and we want to offer this love as a sacrifice pleasing to God.

‘It is obvious that the pope belongs to everyone and embraces everyone, desiring that through him they be touched by the universal love of God.’

Perhaps this sacrificial love is what motivates Pope Leo. In any case, observing him during his first apostolic journeys it is obvious that he belongs to everyone and embraces everyone, desiring that through him they be touched by the universal love of God.

Pope Leo visited the Little Sisters of the Poor during each of his first two visits outside Italy. In November 2025 – Thanksgiving day – he visited our home in Istanbul, Turkey; and on April 14 of this year, he visited our home in Annaba, Algeria.

Both of these houses are located in countries where Catholics represent very tiny minorities and in both locations the majority of residents served by the Little Sisters are non-Christian.

During both of these visits, the pope emphasized how universal charity helps us to build peace.

In Annaba he said, “I think that the Lord, looking down from heaven upon a house like this, where people strive to live together in fraternity, would say, ‘There is hope!’ Yes, because God’s heart is torn apart by wars, violence, injustice and lies. But our Father’s heart is not with the wicked, the arrogant or the proud. God’s heart is with the little ones, with the humble, and with them he builds up his kingdom of love and peace day by day, just as you are striving to do here in your daily service, in your friendship and life together.”

In Istanbul, the Holy Father acknowledged the patience and prayer required to unite people from diverse backgrounds under one roof.

And he told the Little Sisters, “The Lord has called you not only to assist or help the poor, but has also called you to be their “sisters!” You are to be like Jesus, whom the Father sent to us not only to help and serve us, but also to be our brother.”

I pray that God will permit Pope Leo XIV to serve for many years, for more than ever the world needs the messenger of peace he has become.

I also pray that the youth of our country will look to this pope as a real American hero!
 
Sister Constance Veit is the communications director for the Little Sisters of the Poor in the United States and an occupational therapist.