‘Pope Leo XIV goes through his day centered on prayer,
silence, and seeking God amid his responsibilities at the helm of the Church.’ This was shared by his personal
secretary, Peruvian priest Father Edgard Rimaycuna. He says further in an interview ‘He is a man who lives
always in the constant presence of God. From the very start of the day, he has his fixed times for
prayer, including holy Mass and the recitation of the Liturgy of the Hours; we
also pray the rosary. Throughout the day he always seeks
contact with God through silence and through prayer before the Blessed
Sacrament in the chapel. The pontiff’s spirituality is deeply influenced by the thought
of St. Augustine. The Holy Father seeks God within himself; he speaks with
him, that is prayer. His spiritual experience is
subsequently reflected in his interactions with the people with whom he works. This closeness is manifested in the
time he gives to every person who seeks him out and in the attention he pays to
those who confide their difficulties or concerns to him. When someone
entrusts him with a specific intention or concern, he keeps them very much in
mind. He is not a man of immediate
decisions. He always thinks, listens, and takes into account even opposing
views, a patient and prudent man in the governance of the Church. He is a man who seeks to build bridges, seeks dialogue, and
always avoids confrontation. One
of the Holy Father’s greatest sources of suffering is the current wars. He
suffers a lot because of all of this, referring
to the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, noting that Leo XIV’s first
words after being elected pope were a call for peace: “Peace be with all of
you.“ He
always works for peace; he constantly calls upon authorities for a ceasefire. We can never
offer too many prayers. The Holy Father will always need our prayers.’ Father Edgard Rimaycuna knew Pope Leo since 2006 when
he was his student in Peru. He was ordained by Bishop Prevost in 2017, and
lives with him and always by his side.
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