Udupi Bishop Leslie D’Souza meets Pope Leo XIV at Vatican

Mangalore Today News Network

Udupi, Sep 11, 2026: Dr Leslie Clifford D’Souza, the newly appointed Bishop of the Diocese of Udupi, met Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican on Thursday for the first time since assuming office and received his blessings.

Pope Leo XIV met all the newly appointed bishops from around the world on Thursday and later held separate meetings with the bishops of individual dioceses.

During the meeting, Bishop Leslie D’Souza, on behalf of the Diocese of Udupi, honoured Pope Leo XIV with a shawl and presented him with a statue of Our Lady of Milagres, the patroness of the diocese. He also conveyed greetings from the people of Udupi district and briefed the Pope about the Diocese of Udupi.

Pope Leo XIV conveyed his blessings to the Church in Udupi and India. In response, Bishop Leslie Clifford D’Souza assured the Pope and the Holy See of the prayers of the faithful of the Diocese of Udupi.