John Morales checks in with Rome correspondent Ashley Noronha, who brings us the latest from the Eternal City. Pope Leo XIV is giving us so many exciting matters to discuss!
🟢The Popemobile Goes Eco-Friendly… and a Little Bit Casual
Pope Leo XIV has already ditched the traditional papal luxury for something more humble and eco-friendly.
🚙 He’s rolling around in a Volkswagen California hybrid.
-Plug-in hybrid with a petrol-electric combo
-Nicknamed the “Green Popemobile”
-Seats 6, but the Holy Father rides shotgun
-Gets about 0.9 liters per 100 km when fully charged
Ashley believes that his choice is deeply symbolic, aligning with Vatican City’s commitment to sustainability: a city that gets a chunk of its energy from solar power. 🏙️☀️ Pope Leo seems to be telling us early on that he’s all about stewardship of the earth.
Ashley notes this car was already in the Vatican garage, but the Pope choosing it over the flashier options is what people are really noticing.
🌹A Pope in Love… with Our Lady of Fatima
Back when Pope Leo was still Cardinal Prevost, he was already making moves that showed his devotion. In 2019, he:
-Personally requested that a statue of Our Lady of Fatima be brought to his diocese in Chiclayo, Peru
-Waited an entire year for the request to be granted 😇
-Consecrated the entire diocese to her in a major public Mass at St. Mary’s Cathedral
Thousands gathered to pray, and he clearly wanted to draw his people into deeper devotion to Our Lady. This is just like St. John Paul II, who famously credited Our Lady of Fatima with saving his life after the 1981 assassination attempt. “One hand pulled the trigger, another guided the bullet,” he said.
His Marian devotion runs deep, and this early papal moment is revealing a leader who’s earthy and humble…. but fiercely faithful.
The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
