Pope Leo XIV
A new Pope has been elected by the 133 Cardinal electors gathered in the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel.
He is Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, to be known as Pope Leo XIV, the new spiritual leader of the global Catholic Church, and has appeared at the central window of St Peter’s Basilica.
Just after 5pm UK time, Thursday 8 May, white smoke billowed out of the temporary smokestack installed on the roof of the Sistine Chapel, heralding the news that a new Pope had been elected – the cardinals had chosen the 267th Pope.
On behalf of the Archdiocese of Birmingham, Archbishop Bernard Longley has released a welcome message:
"I welcome the wonderful news of the election of Cardinal Robert Prevost as our new Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV. As he prepared to give us his first blessing as Pope in St Peter’s Square he also gave us a message of joyful encouragement, calling us to be bridge-builders who are the light of Christ in the world. As the first Pope from the United States of America he also remembered the people of Chiclayo in Peru where he had served as bishop until 2023.
"I have just spent the last few days at Buckfast Abbey with all the Bishops of England and Wales as we prayed for the Cardinals in Conclave and as we waited to hear whom the Holy Spirit would identify as the Successor of Peter. It will be a great joy to serve the Church’s mission inspired by the guidance of Pope Leo. All the lay faithful, the Religious and clergy of our Archdiocese are praying for our new Holy Father that he may serve the Church for many years and be richly blessed in his apostolate."
Let us pray for our new Holy Father. Habemus Papam: We have a Pope!
Welcome
You are very welcome here! Whether you are taking a first step to find our parish community or are a regular looking for the latest updates we hope you find the site helpful. New people are moving into the area as housing is built and maybe you are just trying to figure out which is your nearest church, or where the official boundaries are set between local parishes. When you come to the church you will receive a warm welcome and find it a prayerful place, as we are able to draw close to Jesus as he is close to us in the Blessed Sacrament in our tabernacle and in our celebrations of the Eucharist together.
Father David Hartley
Parish Priest
and Dean of Banbury & Warwick
Our Church
St Joseph’s parish is part of Catholic Leamington, a grouping of three churches where we cooperate and share together for the benefit of each and all. Together we seek to put into action our Diocesan Vision and seek to find the ways to live out Pope Francis’s Synodal Vision of Walking Together.
Our Vision
The Synod focuses on many of the same areas we are hoping to renew through the Diocesan Vision, and so we are using the outcomes of the Synodal process to continue to grow as a diocese that is faithful to the mission entrusted to us by Jesus Christ - full of missionary disciples who work together co-responsibly in vibrant communities of faith, joyful in their service of God and neighbour.