Dear members of the Santa Clara community,

One of our greatest treasures at Santa Clara is our shared mission, a mission that comes to us through our tradition of Jesuit, Catholic education. Through our participation in the life of the Church, we have found special inspiration and guidance in recent years from the life and ministry of Pope Francis, the first Jesuit pope. His words and actions resonated with us, encouraging us in our embrace of every member of our community, our desire to work for and with others, and our commitment to care for our common home.

We now rejoice at the election of Francis’ successor, Pope Leo XIV. He is truly a pope from the Americas, born in the United States but formed as a priest and bishop by his work accompanying communities in the Diocese of Chiclayo in Peru. His first words from St. Peter’s Basilica and his first homily in the Sistine Chapel have expressed his commitment to a Church that brings God’s peace into the world, lifting up ordinary people by testifying to God’s unconditional love for all, and to a Church that finds special expression in care for the migrant, the refugee, and those marginalized in any way. 

He has also emphasized his desire to continue the synodal path launched by Pope Francis, building a Church that listens and that finds meaningful words to speak to all people of good will, building bridges of understanding in our world. We share his desire to continue this synodal path, which recently found unique expression in our Jesuit School of Theology’s Together at the Table conference held on the Mission Campus, allowing members of our community to dialogue and raise our hopes and concerns and contribute to the future path of our Church and world. 

We look forward to learning more from, and about, Pope Leo XIV. Our Masses this Sunday in the Mission Church—at 10 a.m., 5 p.m., and 8 p.m.—will offer special prayers for him and his ministry as pastor of the Catholic Church, and we pray for all in our community that we may live more deeply the call we have received as the Santa Clara community. Pope Francis left us this year as a special Jubilee Year of Hope, and it is in that spirit of hope that we pray for Pope Leo XIV and all in our community.

Sincerely, 

Julie Sullivan
President

Matthew Carnes, S.J.
Vice President for Mission and Ministry