Honourable senators, I rise to pay tribute to an outstanding Canadian, a loyal servant of the Catholic Church and a truly caring, generous and compassionate individual, Archbishop Francis Leo.

On October 6, Pope Francis announced His Excellency Monsignor Frank Leo will be elevated to the College of Cardinals. In two days, I will be joining a group of select guests for his elevation ceremony with Pope Francis at the Vatican.

This promotion is a tremendous achievement and one that is richly deserved. I am incredibly proud of him and deeply touched to have the opportunity to attend this ceremony. I must thank our colleague Senator Toni Varone for his hard work in making this happen. Thank you, Toni. Grazie.

Born in Montreal in 1971 to Italian immigrant parents, Archbishop Leo was ordained priest in 1996, served the faithful of Montreal for 27 years and was consecrated bishop in 2022. Two years later, he is being called upon to serve as cardinal. At only 53 years of age, Archbishop Leo will be one of the youngest members of the College of Cardinals.

This, of course, comes as no surprise to me. You see, Archbishop Leo is a family friend. To us, he has always simply been known as “Father Frank.” He presided over my children’s first communions and confirmations.

As a child, I would often complain about having to go to church with my parents. However, if I did not go to mass, I had no lunch on Sunday. It was a struggle, but as an adult, it was never a struggle to go to mass to see Father Frank and listen to his sermons. He made listening to the gospel meaningful and relevant. His message was always heartfelt, relatable and impactful.

Even when our family moved to another neighbourhood, we continued to drive those extra miles on Sundays just to hear him speak.

One of his most endearing qualities was his ability to be approachable and accessible. There was no division or rank between him and his parishioners. He offered us a safe space, a no-judgment environment where we could share our thoughts and seek his advice and support during difficult times. Despite the prestige surrounding his elevation to cardinal, I know he will remain humble, charitable and compassionate.

Honourable Senators, please join me in congratulating Archbishop Francis Leo on his upcoming elevation as cardinal of the Catholic Church and in wishing him much success in his new role as he assists the Pope in his ministry.

Thank you. Grazie.