Bishop Manuel Rodríguez met and prayed Thursday, Sept. 10, with Pope Leo XIV, the man who appointed him in late 2025 to lead the Diocese of Palm Beach.
Meeting the pope was the highlight of a weeklong trip by Rodríguez, who joined over 140 newly appointed Catholic bishops at the Vatican this week for what he described as "baby bishop training."
The 6-foot-6 Rodríguez towered over the 5-foot-7 pope and a sea of other bishops wearing magenta skullcaps, known as zucchettos. He bowed deeply to receive a blessing from the first American pontiff and to kiss his hand.
"During our two-hour encounter, the Holy Father spoke to us as a group and reminded us that, like Christ the Good Shepherd, a bishop must carry everyone in his heart." Rodríguez wrote in a post on Facebook.
"Those words are a beautiful reminder that episcopal ministry is a call to communion, accompaniment, and service —especially in a world experiencing rapid and profound change."
Rodríguez also presented Pope Leo with a light blue bandana with yellow accents made by the Palm Beach Diocese for a World Youth Day pilgrimage to South Korea planned for next year.
"It was a beautiful way to bring a little piece of Palm Beach to Rome — and to place our journey to Korea in the hands of the Holy Father," Rodríguez wrote, sharing photos of the "joyous" moment on Facebook. "From Rome, I send you my blessing and my prayers."
The Vatican visit marked Rodríguez's first international trip since his appointment in December to succeed Bishop Gerald Barbarito as the leader of the diocese, which serves about 275,000 Catholics across five counties in the region, including the one that President Donald Trump calls home.
A native of the Dominican Republic, Rodríguez is the first immigrant to the U.S. and the first Hispanic to lead the diocese, which serves a growing number of people who have come to the nation from the Caribbean and Central and South America. At 52, he is also the youngest man appointed to the role, one he could fill for more than 20 years.
Many viewed Rodríguez’s appointment as a sign from Pope Leo, who has criticized the Trump administration over its treatment of immigrants in the U.S. without documentation and the way many of those immigrants are living in fear of detention and deportation.
Rodríguez publicly defended Pope Leo in April after Trump criticized the pontiff's stance on immigration, calling Trump’s attacks "violent and disrespectful."
"These attacks also constitute a serious violation of the religious freedom enshrined in the United States Constitution and, as such, infringe upon the rights of American Catholics,” Rodríguez wrote in April on social media.