It’s a new era for the Roman Catholic Church with the selection of a new pope Thursday.
Catholic Cardinals picked Robert Prevost of Chicago, Illinois, to end the conclave shortly before noon Central time. Considered a surprise to many despite his immediate past roles as president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America and Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops — meaning the group that promotes certain priests in the church hierarchy — Prevost took the name Leo XIV for his papacy.
It was an unforgettable day for Catholics worldwide and locally. At Sacred Heart Church, School Principal Curtis Simons says classes came to a full stop after the announcement.
Church Rector Father Carter Zielinski says he was returning to the church from a burial when the news broke. He began ringing the church bells before staff, volunteers and students watched Leo XIV’s first speech to the masses.
Leo XIV brings missionary experience in South America, study of canon law and military veteran experience to the post. Besides being the first American-born pope — and the first pope with Peruvian citizenship — Leo XIV is the first pope from the Order of Saint Augustine.
In a short speech to faithful at Saint Peter’s Square, he says he envisions a church that “builds bridges” and works towards “a dialogue of love.”
Pope Leo XIV will be facing several challenges, including finances and internal divisions on matters like social justice, migrants and other marginalized groups, an ongoing sex abuse crisis for clergy and church doctrine issues like ordaining women as priests.
