As I was saying goodbye to my Uncle in-law at the hospital after finishing up a visit, I casually said to him,
“Perhaps will have a new pope by the end of the day.”
Kristin and I then proceeded to the hospital cafeteria where we would partake of the scrumptious savory delight that is hospital food. We both got the chicken cordon bleu which is something we don’t eat too often. As we were sitting in the lunchroom, my face was turned towards the TV. The news was on and it was talking about this trial and that trial and that no pope had yet been elected.
But low and behold SUDDENLY the camera was focused on that Vatican chimney in which had become a new gathering place for seagulls and their young. The empty chimney suddenly had smoke coming up.
WHITE SMOKE
meaning
Habemus papam
or Papam habemus
(‘We have a pope’)
I couldn’t believe it was happening all ready. They just got together yesterday. And now they’ve already come to a decision.
Wow.
We finished up our meal and went to the car for the 20 minute drive home in which we listened to various commentators both secular and Catholic comment on the news as news footage showed the crowds cheering and marching bands marching and playing music. There was a wave of excitement and enthusiasm at the announcement of a new leader of our beloved Catholic church. Listening to the happy crowd I thought
“no other religion has this type of excitement over a religious leader.”
The methodists don’t have this type of hopala over their new leaders. No world wide attention is given to the new leader of the Southern Baptist Convention. The Pentecostal church in the mall is not as charismatic as the people gathered in Vatican Square. The Orthodox has a leader but he doesn’t get constant media attention when a Ecumenical Patriarch becomes the new guy in charge. Only the Catholics make a big deal about a new guide for their church. Even the secular world pays attention.
I was hoping we would get home before the new pope appeared on the baloney. I wanted us to witness this historic moment in Catholic history. And we made it home with time to spare. I was falling asleep having not slept much the night before and then the big moment arrived.
And surprises of surprises.
An American Pope.
The commentary I had listened to made it sound like an American pope wasn’t possible. But yet Robert Francis Prevost (September 14, 1955) from Chicago is now the 2nd pope from the Americas to take the throne of Peter. He also continues the trend of non-italian pontiffs since St. John Paul 2 to be elected the supreme pontiff.
Cardial Prevost is now
Pope Leo XIV
Short History of the Past 12 Papal Conclaves
From Wikipedia…
Leo is the first North American to be elected as the pope, the first pope to come from an English-speaking country since Adrian IV in the 12th century, the first pope with Black African ancestry, and the first American and Peruvian (naturalized) pope. He is the first pope to come from the Order of Saint Augustine, and the seventh from orders that follow the Rule of St Augustine (Augustinians). He is also the first pope called Leo since the death of Leo XIII in 1903 as well as the first pope born after World War II.
Here is more information from noted Catholic personality Joe Heschmeyer from Shameless Popery
The new pope might support the Cubs,
but it was the Cardinals who elected him.
–Monsignor Eric Barr
The man who is now pope said back in the year he became a cardinal…
I still consider myself a missionary. My vocation, like that of every Christian, is to be a missionary, to proclaim the Gospel wherever one is. I truly believe that the Holy Spirit is very present in the Church at this time and is pushing us towards a renewal and therefore we are called to the great responsibility of living what I call a new attitude. It is not just a process, it is not just changing some ways of doing things, maybe holding more meetings before making a decision. It is much more. –Archbishop Prevost: ‘The bishop is a pastor, not a manager’ – Vatican News
In the digital age of social media he also has this to say from the same article and is a good reminder to all Catholics who use social media.
Social media can be an important tool to communicate the Gospel message reaching millions of people. We must prepare ourselves to use social media well. There is a great responsibility to use social networks, communication, correctly, because it is an opportunity, but it is also a risk. And it can do damage to the communion of the Church. That is why one must be very prudent in the use of these means.
Pope Leo seems to believe in effective communication. He is a multi language speaker which includes English, Spanish, Italian, French, and Portuguese, plus he can also read Latin and German. This will aid in his role of the leader of a diverse and multicultural group of people who speak more than just one language.
Here are some more thoughts and info from world of Catholic Social media.
Fr Lawrence Lew, O.P. @LawrenceOP: (May 8, 2025) Leo XIV is a great name: His predecessor Leo XIII wrote 12 encyclicals on the Rosary, and today is the feast of Our Lady of Pompeii/the Patronage of Our Lady over the Dominican Order. Also, Leo XIII revived the study of St Thomas Aquinas, and our new Holy Father is an alumnus of the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in Rome. ����
The Religious Hippie@HippieReligious: (May 8, 2025) Today is the feast of the apparition of St. Michael in Italy which inspired Pope Leo the XIII to write the St. Michael prayer! Not surprising Pope Leo the XIV was elected today.
Donald J. Trump@realDonaldTrump: (May 8, 2025) Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope. It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!
Sarah St. Onge ن ♀�@She_Brings_Joy: (May 8, 2025)
Wait-
Does this mean the pope could vote for our next president?
As we transition from one papacy to the next we remember with fondness our beloved Francis.
Pope Francis was the face of the Catholic church. He was the ambassador for Christ that God was making an appeal to the world through (2 Corinthians 5:20). He was a living catechetical lesson in how to live the Christian life. He used to sneak out of the Vatican at night to feed and greet the homeless and went to visit Christ in prison and wash his feet. He didn’t back down from showing people that God so loved the world. He didn’t just do it with the actions of a humanitarian but preached the orthodoxy and importance of faith in which devotion to Christ was the central message and upheld the tradition of the historic Catholic faith.
–Francis Remembered: Anthony Steinhauser and Mark Wilson – Where Peter Is
And now Cardinal Prevost (Lew XVI) is the new face of the Catholic church and I hope he continues the great legacy of the last several popes that have been serving the people of God.
This is what Pope Leo XIV said in Italian in his first speech, as preliminarily translated by NBC News:
“Peace be with you all.
Dearest brothers and sisters, this is the first greeting of the Risen Christ, the Good Shepherd who gave His life for the flock of God. I too would like this greeting of peace to enter our hearts, to reach your families: to all people wherever they may be, to all nations, to the whole earth: peace be with you.
This is the peace of the Risen Christ: a disarmed peace, a disarming peace, humble and persevering, it comes from God, God who loves us all unconditionally.
We still hold in our ears that weak yet ever courageous voice of Pope Francis as he blessed Rome—the Pope who blessed Rome, who gave his blessing to the world, to the whole world, that Easter morning. Allow me to follow up on that same blessing: God loves us, God loves you all, and evil shall not prevail. We are all in God’s hands.
Therefore, without fear, united, hand in hand with God and with one another, let us move forward. We are disciples of Christ, Christ goes before us; the world needs His light, humanity needs Him as a bridge to be reached by God and His love. Help us as well—help one another—to build bridges through dialogue, through encounter, uniting everyone to be one single people always in peace.
Thanks to Pope Francis.
Read Pope Leo XIV’s speech from the St. Peter’s balcony – NBC New York
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