H.Res. 412

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 412 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. RES. 412

Congratulating His Holiness Pope Leo XIV on his historic election as 
the 267th pontiff of the Holy Roman Catholic Church and the first 
American pontiff.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

May 14, 2025

Mr. Moore of West Virginia (for himself, Mr. Suozzi, Mr. Barrett, Mr. 
Zinke, Mrs. Wagner, Mr. McCaul, Mr. Bresnahan, Mr. Rulli, Mrs. Bice, 
Mrs. McClain, Mr. Rose, Mr. Steil, Mr. Messmer, Mr. Gimenez, Mr. Smith 
of New Jersey, Mr. Hill of Arkansas, Mr. Rutherford, Mr. Tony Gonzales 
of Texas, Mr. Hurd of Colorado, Mr. Bacon, Mrs. Kiggans of Virginia, 
Mrs. Miller-Meeks, and Mr. Stauber) submitted the following resolution; 
which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

RESOLUTION

Congratulating His Holiness Pope Leo XIV on his historic election as 
the 267th pontiff of the Holy Roman Catholic Church and the first 
American pontiff.

Whereas, on May 8, 2025, white smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel, signaling the 
election of Robert Francis Cardinal Prevost as the new Bishop of Rome 
and head of the Roman Catholic Church, taking the papal name Leo XIV;
Whereas Pope Leo XIV is the first American-born pope in the 2,000-year history 
of the Catholic Church, marking a historic milestone for American 
Catholics and faithful Catholics around the world;
Whereas, born on September 14, 1955, in Chicago, Illinois, to a patriotic 
American family, Pope Leo XIV was raised in the Catholic tradition in 
Dolton, a working-class suburb where faith, family, and service formed 
the foundation of his life;
Whereas a graduate of Villanova University with a degree in mathematics and an 
alumnus of the Catholic Theological Union of Chicago, Pope Leo XIV 
embodies a life committed to both intellectual and spiritual rigor;
Whereas as Prior General of the Order of St. Augustine, Pope Leo XIV has lived 
out the Order's mission to be ``of one mind and one heart on the way to 
God,'' emphasizing humility, unity, and service;
Whereas Pope Leo XIV spent decades as a missionary and church leader in Peru, 
where he served faithfully as a bishop, and ministered to the spiritual 
and material needs of his communities;
Whereas Pope Leo XIV has exemplified the humility and courage of a true servant 
of Christ, not seeking worldly acclaim but bearing witness to the Gospel 
in places where it is often ridiculed or rejected, reminding the 
faithful that a lack of belief often coincides with ``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'';
Whereas, in 2023, Pope Francis elevated him to the College of Cardinals and 
appointed him Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, entrusting him with 
the vital role of shaping episcopal leadership worldwide;
Whereas Pope Leo XIV is the first Augustinian pope, continuing the Church's long 
tradition of drawing upon the wisdom and example of the great religious 
orders;
Whereas he speaks five languages fluently and can read Latin and German, 
reflecting his deep theological formation and ability to connect with 
all members of the Universal Catholic Church;
Whereas the name Leo XIV honors a tradition of socially engaged papacy dating 
back to Pope Leo I (``Leo the Great'') and Pope Leo XIII, who championed 
Catholic social teaching and the dignity of work;
Whereas in his ministry and teaching, Pope Leo XIV has proclaimed that ``the 
credibility of the Church does not come from popularity, but from 
fidelity'', and thus has called clergy and laity alike not to shape the 
Church in the image of the world, but to be conformed to Christ through 
truth, chastity, self-sacrifice, and Eucharistic love; and
Whereas his first public words as pope from the central loggia of St. Peter's 
Basilica were ``Peace be with all of you'', setting the tone for a 
pontificate grounded in the unity, humility, and love of Christ, The 
Good Shepherd: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) congratulates His Holiness Pope Leo XIV on his election 
as the 267th pope of the Roman Catholic Church and the first 
American to serve in this sacred role;
(2) recognizes the historic significance of his election 
for the American Catholic community;
(3) commends Pope Leo XIV for a lifetime of service, 
humility, missionary zeal, and commitment to embodying Christ's 
mercy and pastoral care; and
(4) extends our prayers to Pope Leo XIV as he begins his 
pontificate and shepherds the world's 1,400,000,000 Catholics 
with wisdom and grace.
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