Peace be with you.

By Mrs M 

In a historic and monumental decision, Cardinal Robert Prevost, of the United States, has been elected as the 267th pope of the Catholic Church, becoming the first American pontiff in the Church’s 2,000-year history. 

The 69-year-old cardinal from Chicago will be known as Pope Leo XIV. Prevost's election was announced to throngs of faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square, where white smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel chimney, signaling to the world that a new pope had been chosen. 

The announcement, ‘Habemus Papam’ loosely translated 'we have a pope' was met with roaring applause and emotional celebration from Catholics across the globe.

Appearing on the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, Leo XIV addressed the cheering crowd with a message both humble and pointed: “Let us build bridges, not walls. Let us be shepherds to the lost, the wounded, the seeking. The Church must walk with the people of today wherever they are, however they come.” 

He also paid tribute to his predecessor, Pope Francis, praising his courage, humility, and lifelong commitment to the poor: “We stand on the shoulders of a giant, whose light will guide us forward.”

The election of Leo XIV follows the death of Pope Francis, who passed away peacefully at the Vatican at the age of 88. His death marked the end of a transformative papacy defined by humility, inclusivity, and reform.

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Francis became the first pope from Latin America and the first Jesuit pontiff. His papacy, beginning in 2013, was notable for a more pastoral, less doctrinal tone. 

He emphasized mercy over judgment, tackled clerical sex abuse with renewed urgency, and opened sensitive debates on divorced and remarried Catholics, LGBTQ+ inclusion, and environmental justice.

In 2015, he released Laudato si’, an encyclical on climate change that became a moral rallying cry for the planet. He visited war zones, embraced the marginalized, and famously said, “Who am I to judge?” when asked about gay priests redefining how many viewed the role of the Church in a modern, fractured world.

His final years were marked by declining health and persistent speculation about resignation, though he remained committed to the office until the end. Mourners gathered around the Vatican for days to pay their respects.

With Leo XIV, the Church enters a new chapter one defined by both expectation and uncertainty. An Augustinian friar with extensive experience in both Peru and the United States, Pope Leo XIV is known for his administrative strength, diplomatic temperament, and theological clarity.

 He has spent the last several years as the head of the Vatican's powerful Dicastery for Bishops, shaping leadership across the global Church.

While his American roots are a first for the papacy, Vatican officials were quick to stress his universal mission. “While Pope Leo XIV was born in the United States, his mission is to the world,” a senior Church official stated.

U.S. President Donald Trump, who returned to office in January 2025 following a narrow but decisive electoral victory, responded to the news with praise on social media.

“It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country.” he said.

Trump’s second, non-consecutive term has already reshaped political discourse in the U.S., but the Vatican has remained diplomatically neutral.

The White House later issued a formal statement, saying, “The United States congratulates Pope Leo XIV on his election. We look forward to continued partnership in the global effort for peace, justice,and  human dignity.”

Back home in Chicago, Catholics gathered at Holy Name Cathedral to celebrate what many called a divine miracle. 

Parishioner Maria Delgado said, “It’s incrediblean American pope! I never thought I’d see the day. May God guide him.”

Pope Leo XIV’s emphasis on bridge-building hints at a potential continuation of Pope Francis’s pastoral style, though analysts say he may lean more conservative on doctrinal issues. 

What is certain, however, is that the eyes of over 1.3 billion Catholics are now fixed on this American-born pope who in his first moments made it clear that the Church he leads will be one of dialogue, compassion, and courage.

History has been made.