'Great humility, a kindness, and a gentleness': Savannah bishop recalls 2023 chat with Pope Leo XIV

Caption

Bishop Stephen Parkes delivers a homily at the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist in Savannah on May 10, 2025.

Credit: Diocese of Savannah

Catholics across Georgia marked a milestone in Church history over the weekend as the Diocese of Savannah celebrated a special Mass honoring Pope Leo XIV, the first U.S.-born pontiff.

Braving heavy rain and thunderstorms in downtown Savannah, parishioners filed into the pews of the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist on Saturday, where Bishop Stephen Parkes led the liturgy.

The Diocese of Savannah is Georgia's oldest Catholic diocese and one of only two in the state — the other being the Archdiocese of Atlanta — with a jurisdiction that stretches across South and Middle Georgia, including Macon.

During his homily, Parkes shared personal memories of meeting the future pope in 2023, when then-Cardinal Robert Prevost had just been appointed prefect of the Vatican department that oversees bishops — a role he held before being elected pope earlier this month.

Parkes recalled how their brief encounter in Rome took place during a series of courses for new bishops like himself, when he approached Prevost at a dessert bar during a lunch break in the cafeteria.

"I had a nice chat — a conversation that I will remember, certainly now that he was elected as the pope — but I sensed from him a great humility, a kindness, and a gentleness," Parkes told the congregation, adding that even in that short interaction, he felt that Prevost understood the unique responsibilities of being a bishop in the U.S.

Parkes praised the relatively swift papal conclave — which concluded after just four rounds of voting — as a sign of unity within the Catholic Church, saying it underscored a collective sense of purpose guided by the Holy Spirit.

He described Pope Leo XIV as someone with broad international appeal, noting that his unique blend of experiences — born in Chicago, formed by two decades of ministry in Peru, and seasoned by Vatican leadership — equips him with what Parkes called "the U.S. experience with the heart of a South American missionary and knowledge of Vatican diplomacy, bureaucracy, et cetera."

Parkes said this rare combination of backgrounds makes Pope Leo well-suited "for what we need at this particular time."

As parishioners prayed for the new pope, Parkes drew on the wisdom of another pontiff: John XXIII, who led the Catholic Church from 1958 to 1963 and was known for a nightly ritual in which he would say, "I did my best. It's your Church, Lord. I'm going to bed now."

Building on that sentiment, Parkes shared a reflection of his own.

"My friends: I hope that Pope Leo can rest well knowing that in his ministry he is continually guided by the Holy Spirit," he said, adding that although the role of pope is a weighty one, Leo is "not alone — and he has each one of us praying for him and accompanying him on the journey."