Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, the niece of former President John F. Kennedy, who was the first Roman Catholic U.S. president, reflected on Pope Leo XIV’s first speech as a pontiff. 

Former Maryland Lt. Gov. Kennedy Townsend, who is the eldest daughter of the late U.S. Attorney General and U.S. Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, said his words connected with present trials across the world.

“He’s a pope for peace. He said, All of us are equal. All of us are special under God. We’re all children of God. So he’s saying to each person, I love you. God loves you,” she said during a Thursday appearance on News Nation’s “The Hill.”

“He’s saying we welcome everybody, and I think that’s a very important message at this time when so many people are divided by what their belief is,” she added.

Pope Leo XIV’s speech made earlier references to the late Pope Francis, who died in late April.

“The Pope who blessed Rome gave his blessing to the world, to the whole world, that morning of Easter Sunday. Allow me to follow up on that same blessing: God loves us, God loves you all, and evil will not prevail! We are all in God’s hands,” Pope Leo XIV said.

“Therefore, without fear, united hand in hand with God and with each other, let us move forward. We are disciples of Christ. Christ precedes us. The world needs his light.”

Many leaders applauded the religious leader, who will serve as the first American pope in history.

“This is a historic day for the United States, and we will pray for him as he begins the sacred work of leading the Catholic Church and setting an example for so many, regardless of faith,” former President Obama said in a statement. 

Former President George W. Bush also offered his congratulations to the new American pontiff.

“This an historic and hopeful moment for Catholics in America and for the faithful around the world,” he said in a statement. “We join those praying for the success of Pope Leo XIV as he prepares to lead the Catholic church, serve the neediest, and share God’s love.”

Leo, formerly known as Cardinal Robert Prevost, holds dual citizenship in the U.S. and Peru. Kennedy Townsend acknowledged his background on Thursday.

“I loved the fact that he was chosen as an American and that he had spent so much time in Latin America. So it sort of like all the Americas were chosen,” she told News Nation.