U.S. Rep. Riley Moore of West Virginia was joined by 20 colleagues in the House of Representatives who sponsored the resolution commemorating the Chicago native's election to the papacy.
(LifeSiteNews) — A Catholic Republican congressman introduced a bipartisan resolution Wednesday congratulating Pope Leo XIV for his historic election as the first North American pontiff.
West Virginia Catholic GOP Rep. Riley Moore introduced the bipartisan House Resolution on May 14 to honor and congratulate Pope Leo XIV on becoming the first American to occupy the chair of Peter, his office announced. In addition to congratulating the Holy Father on this milestone, the resolution praises Leo for his missionary work in Peru, humility, and commitment to intellectual and spiritual rigor.
“I was thrilled to hear of Pope Leo’s XIV election to the Chair of St. Peter and have felt a tremendous sense of national pride that an American now leads the Catholic Church," Moore said in a statement.
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“I pray the Lord blesses the Holy Father with the great wisdom and unyielding courage necessary to preach the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ," the congressman added.
Moore introduced the resolution alongside 20 of his House colleagues. New York Congressman Tom Souzzi was the lone Democrat to co-sponsor the resolution.
The resolution first stressed the historical significance of the new pope being the first U.S.-born pontiff.
“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,” the resolution said.
Leo XIV was born and raised in Chicago before earning his Bachelor's degree in Mathematics from Villanova University in Philadelphia and a Master of Divinity from Catholic Theological Union in his native Chicago.
The resolution also stressed the pontiff's lifelong commitment to "intellectual and spiritual rigor," and noted the Holy Father's decades-long missionary work in Peru, where he has dual citizenship.
"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," the resolution read.
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The resolution also highlighted the pope's Christ-like humility and courage while bearing witness to the Gospel in places where it is frequently rejected.
“Pope Leo XIV has exemplified the humility and courage of a true servant of Christ," the resolution said. "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.'”
Since Pope Leo XIV's election last week, several other prominent American politicians have congratulated the new pontiff and celebrated the milestone of the first U.S.-born pope's election. Among these include President Donald Trump, who congratulated Leo XIV in a Truth Social post shortly after he walked onto the loggia.
“It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country," Trump wrote.
“I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!” the president added.
Vice President J.D. Vance's office announced that Vance, a Catholic convert, and Catholic Secretary of State Marco Rubio will attend the opening Mass of Pope Leo XIV's pontificate on May 18.
