By Quinton Amundson, The Catholic Register
[Vatican City – Canadian Catholic News] – In October, when he was invited to join the College of Cardinals, Cardinal-elect Francis Leo said he would discern how this elevation could help him become an even better servant for the Archdiocese of Toronto and beyond.
Now, the day before the Dec. 7, 2024 Papal Consistory in St. Peter’s Square, when the Montreal native will join 20 other worldwide Catholic leaders in receiving a ring, zucchetto and biretta, Leo shared the conclusions he reached during an interview with The Catholic Register at the Canadian Pontifical College.
As cardinal, Leo plans on “incorporating the more universal dimension of the Church, and the Pope and his ministries” in his prayer life and preaching. He views his advancement as “an opportunity for me to underscore that aspect of the Church’s life.”
Leo said he will have an even more comprehensive answer on how he can succeed on behalf of the Canadian Catholic community and believers everywhere once he learns the tasks and appointments he receives from Pope Francis.
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Bishops Thomas Dowd of Sault Ste. Marie, Ron Fabbro of London and Daniel Miehm of Peterborough recently suggested to The Catholic Register that the Dicastery of Bishops, Dicastery of the Clergy and Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith would all be natural fits for Leo.
Their confidence in the spiritual shepherd of Toronto being equipped to handle whatever role comes his way stems in large part from witnessing Leo in action as a collaborator. The 53-year-old was lauded as a responsive and organized leader when he served as General Secretary of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops from 2015 to 2021. Now he is a valued colleague as a fellow Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Ontario member.
When informed of his fellow bishops’ dicastery wish lists, Leo said he would embrace the opportunity to serve these departments of the Roman Curia.
“All of the above,” said Leo. “I am a bishop and so the Dicastery of Bishops would be something that I am interested in. I’m a priest, and I have worked in priestly formation, so that is very dear to my heart. I taught theology so the doctrine of faith would be good.”
Though Leo has not contemplated on where he would like to be assigned, he offered the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints as a pathway that “he would like.” Members of this ministry examine and help judge all beatification and canonization cases.
“I think the world really needs role models, witnesses, the true heroes and heroines of the faith,.” he said. “All of (the dicasteries) are important and I will say ‘yes’ to wherever I’m called to serve.”
Toronto Archbishop Francis Leo will be made a Cardinal of the Church during a celebration at the Vatican on Dec. 7, 2024. (File photo courtesy of the Archdiocese of Montreal – CCN)
While he awaits further instruction from the Bishop of Rome, Leo is cherishing the present moment alongside Catholic leaders from around the world, cherished colleagues, dear friends and beloved family members.
The presence of his father Francesco is particularly special for Leo. This sojourn to Rome marks the first time in 71 years that the elder Leo has returned to his birthplace.
“It is a very special moment that my family, and specifically my father, is experiencing,” said Leo. “Nobody was expecting this. He was very happy. Besides some health issues, which were dealt with, the doctors said he could travel.”
“Coming back to his homeland where he was born and raised is very important to him. I’m glad that he will be able to visit some family that he still has in the village. We are happy for him. This is a very important part of his life. He came (to Canada) in the 1950s like so many immigrants. They were trying to start over a new life, and with many of the challenges and difficulties immigrants face today as well.
“To be able to come full circle after years of hard work, and thinking of the family, the timing was right and God provided the occasion.”
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The life of a cardinal is a busy one. On top of taking care of business around the Archdiocese, Cardinal Leo will also be called upon more frequently by the Vatican. (Photo courtesy of Archdiocese of Toronto, The Catholic Register, CCN)
No two days are alike on a cardinal’s schedule
By Quinton Amundson, The Catholic Register
[Vatican City – Canadian Catholic News] – What is the core difference between serving as a Cardinal of Toronto rather than an archbishop?
The short answer: more sojourns to the Vatican.
Upon Cardinal Francis Leo professing his oath of fidelity to the Church and Pope Francis and receiving his ring and biretta in St. Peter’s Square Dec. 7, the 53-year-old high-ranking cleric assented to becoming an important counsellor for the soon-to-be 88-year-old Bishop of Rome.
During his forthcoming audiences with the pontiff, the Montreal native will likely be asked to share his insights about building an inspiring universal synodal Church.
And when Francis departs from this world, Leo will participate in the conclave to choose the next Pope.
As for day-to-day life on home turf, there is essentially no difference between the activity of an archbishop and a cardinal.
But it must be stressed: outside of personal prayer and worship rituals, there is no such thing as a daily routine for the governor of an archdiocese. No two days ever are the same.
Neil MacCarthy, director of public relations and communications for the Archdiocese of Toronto, said Leo, like his predecessor Cardinal Thomas Collins before him, values prayer as a reliable pillar during unpredictable, frenetic days.
“Whether they start the day with morning prayer, personal reflection and prayer before the Blessed Sacrament or sometimes celebrating morning Mass, it is central every morning, midday and evening,” said MacCarthy. “It is the thread that is woven through their day.”
Leo’s first 21 months on the job as spiritual shepherd of Canada’s largest Catholic community has demonstrated that his daily itinerary is filled with a rich variation of activities. Any given day he could be visiting a school, celebrating Mass, dialoguing with ecumenical groups, sitting down with various lay movements and appearing at special functions such as presiding over the University of St. Michael’s College convocation.
Equity is a key principle that helps determine what invitations to accept and which to politely decline. If the archbishop attended one event the previous year, he would lean towards going to the alternative social occasion in order to be fair.
Meetings also dominate the schedule. On any given day, Leo could be sitting down with the Chancellor of Temporal Affairs, the Office of Catholic Youth and Catholic Charities of Toronto. He also conducts personal meetings with individual priests and liaises with various lay Catholic organizations and secular entities — the municipal government for one — throughout the district.
Periodically, Leo attends the Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Ontario (ACBO) and Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) meetings to discuss big-picture issues for the Church in the region and across the nation.
Upon releasing his inaugural pastoral letter Seeking the Kingdom of God Above and Beyond All Other Things in January, Leo told The Catholic Register at the time that he enjoyed the vigorous tenor of his first nine months. He saw and learned much.
“I’ve been around visiting the schools, health centres, social services, parishes, religious orders,” said Leo, “speaking to family and the youth about their questions and struggles. I’ve witnessed the wonderful things the parish teams, volunteers and ministers do, the celebrated liturgies, how the refugees and migrants are being taken care of and how vocations in the plural are promoted. And the vast linguistic and cultural diversity in the Archdiocese and how we are engaged in society’s issues and problems.”
Upon his return to Toronto following the papal consistory, Leo plans to keep savouring days that are as enriching as they are unpredictable.
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Canadian Catholic News (CCN) is a national news service, with members including Catholic newspapers, organizations, and individuals: CanadianCatholicNews.ca
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