“Viva il papa!” the crowd cheers as white smoke emerges from the Sistine Chapel’s chimney. The cardinals have chosen a new pope.
Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost born in Chicago, Illinois, is now officially known as Pope Leo XIV.
At just 69 years old, Pope Leo has made history. He is the first American Pope, a shock to millions. People were expecting a Pope of a different ethnicity, like African or Asian. In those continents, Catholicism is growing and rapidly expanding. Whereas in America, Catholicism is declining and stagnant. America only makes up about 20% of the adult Catholic population. With a pope of non-European descent, it would most likely promote even more growth within those continents which are steadily increasing in Catholicism.
The conclave ended on the second voting day, marking one of the shortest conclaves in history. 133 cardinal electors, the most ever, voted inside Sistine Chapel until they reached a two-thirds majority, of at least 89 votes. “I was surprised to see that the pope was selected so quickly,” Freshman Lucia Lakatos Alcantara said. “It indicates that there is a good consensus built around him within the group of cardinals and I feel like it bodes well for the future,” Lakatos Alcantara states.
Pope Leo XIV’s election is seen as a continuation of the priorities of the late Pope Francis. Before his passing, Pope Francis promoted Prevost to head of the Dicastery for Bishops where Prevost oversaw the selection of new bishops worldwide. This close relationship between the two came from shared values and a similar approach to leadership.
Pope Leo has already had a large effect on the Catholic world. He has spent over two decades of his life in Peru, serving as a missionary, parish pastor and ultimately bishop of the city of Chiclayo. He began his mission work with the Augustinian in Peru in 1985 and became a Peruvian citizen in 2015. His mission work in Peru includes serving various parishes and leading the Diocese of Chiclayo from 2014 to 2023. The pope has also worked in Italy and the Vatican. “Pope Leo has already made so many connections throughout three different continents, he has built a bridge,” Lakatos Alcantara says. Having connections throughout the world is consistent with what the church needs.
Pope Leo is bilingual, he is fluent in five languages; English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and French. His bilingualism allows him to connect with a wider global audience and create strong bonds with different cultures and communities. Being able to connect with diverse groups of people, makes it easier to form a sense of unity with him and the Catholic church.
