The Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among, has extended her congratulations to the Catholic Church and the faithful worldwide following the election of Pope Leo XIV, describing the moment as one of great joy and spiritual significance.
“I would like to congratulate the Mother Church and all the Catholic faithful around the world on the election of our new leader, Pope Leo XIV,” she said in a statement.
“I join everyone in thanking God Almighty for this important development and in praying for the Successor of St Peter and the Bishop of Rome.”
Speaker Among offered prayers for the new Pope's health, wisdom, and mission.
“May your papacy be filled with exceptional wisdom, lasting peace, and God’s guiding hand,” she said. “I pray that God grants him good health as he shepherds God’s people.”
Her message reflects not only spiritual solidarity but also a sense of continuity.
Speaker Among enjoyed a notably warm relationship with Pope Leo XIV’s predecessor, Pope Francis, with whom she shared public expressions of mutual goodwill during her travels to the Vatican.
In 2023, she led a parliamentary delegation to the Holy See, where she conveyed Uganda’s appreciation for the Vatican’s support for peace, social justice, and interfaith harmony.
The visit underlined her commitment to building bridges between Uganda and the Catholic Church, and her latest message signals hope that those ties will endure under the new papacy.
Speaker Among’s tribute also reflects a broader embrace of unity among faiths in Uganda, a country where religion plays a significant role in public life.
Her call for peace and wisdom in Pope Leo XIV’s leadership comes as the global Church begins a new chapter under the first American pope in history.
As the Vatican ushers in a new era, Speaker Among’s prayers stand as a gesture of diplomatic and spiritual goodwill—both to the Catholic faithful and to the broader cause of global peace and cooperation.