Father Cesar Jaramillo stood in St. Peter’s Square in Rome on Thursday afternoon with a front-row seat to Church history. Surrounded by tens of thousands of Catholics worldwide at the Vatican, the Paterson Diocesan priest was there firsthand to hear the joyful announcement that stunned the globe: that Cardinal Robert Prevost had been elected the first-ever American-born pontiff. He took the name Pope Leo XIV.
The College of Cardinals’ choice of the Chicago-born Pope Leo as the 267th head of the Universal Church seemed unlikely, if not almost impossible. It left Catholics everywhere surprised, and faithful from the United States, such as Father Jaramillo, who is studying in Rome, filled with American pride. The priest shared his excitement in social media posts, including one after the new pope, 69, greeted the cheering crowd in St. Peter’s and made his first address to the world.
“Wow! You can hear it for yourselves. We have a pope. Our hearts are filled with joy. We thank Almighty God and pray for him and his ministry,” Father Jaramillo said. Later, he returned with a video listing Pope Leo’s extensive experience as a Latin American missionary, Peruvian bishop, and head of the Vatican dicastery that picks those to be named bishops. “We can start to see how the Holy Spirit was already working in his life and how he was already being prepared for the office of St. Peter. We continue to pray for him. He gives Americans a sense of pride that we have our first pope. May his pontificate be one of unity of peace and of justice.”
In real-time, diocesan Catholics were getting caught up in the excitement of watching, listening to, or reading about the historic announcement about Pope Leo, also the first North American pontiff, on various media platforms. Still learning about the pope, local faithful are already expressing their joy — and American pride — over his election and hope his vast experience will help him lead the Church in these challenging times. They also liked his down-to-earth personality, demonstrated by his love of sports.
Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney told CBS TV, “We are in an important moment for the Catholic Church.”
“It looks like God wanted an American this time, so thanks be to God. What type of leader do you think he will be? The whole world is watching. To hear his words of peace and that we’re bridge builders, he says we must continue Francis’ synodal work. I think it’ll be a great blessing, and there’s every indication that he will be,” Bishop Sweeney said.
Msgr. Raymond Kupke, diocesan archivist, correctly predicted that if the College of Cardinals picked an American, it likely would be Cardinal Prevost. He made that forecast before the conclave on a recent episode of Beyond the Beacon, Bishop Sweeney’s podcast.
Still, the election of an American surprised Msgr. Kupke, who is also pastor of St. Anthony Parish in Hawthorne and an adjunct Church history professor at Immaculate Conception School of Theology in South Orange.
“If there was going to be an American, this is the man with all the right qualifications and background. He has a varied and diverse background in the life of the Church,” said Msgr. Kupke.
Msgr. Kupke added that, under the new pope, there might not be a major change in the direction of the Church from his predecessor, Pope Francis.
“Pope Leo mentioned on the balcony that we’re still moving forward. We’re not moving backward,” Msgr. Kupke said. He noted that Pope Leo’s dicastery recently named three women as voting members — a first. “All in all, is it good news? I think so. Some people will be disappointed because they would like to see a complete about-face. There are people who saw Francis as an aberration, just a blip in the system. That’s probably not going to be the case. I think Pope Leo will lead us in a new direction.”
Students at several schools were happy to watch the papal event on Thursday afternoon. St. Anthony School in Hawthorne gathered students from three years old to eighth grade. For the hour between the announcement and the introduction, Salesian Sister Mary Jackson, principal, fielded students’ questions about the process of electing a pope and the papacy.
“We were so thrilled. I had goosebumps. It was like we were in St. Peter’s, all together praying for the new pope,” said Sister Jackson, who was moved by Pope Leo’s first words in his address, “Peace be with you.” “When we have God’s peace and love, it changes our lives. It’s that simple, but sometimes we must be reminded.”
A St. Anthony’s eighth grader, Jason Barone, called the papal event “momentous.”
“I was surprised that the pope is American — the first in history. I’m excited,” Barone said. “He has served people in Peru, which has a lot of poor people, so he will serve the poor and the world as pope. He also connects with youth and is modest and humble like Pope Francis.”
Pope Leo’s election surprised and elated the diocese’s large Peruvian population. He served in Peru as a parish pastor, diocesan official, seminary teacher, and administrator in the 1980s and as bishop of Chiclayo from 2015 to 2023. He’s been a Peruvian citizen since 2005.
The Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson has a Peruvian group, Señor de los Milagros (Lord of Miracles). It coordinates a feast of Señor de los Milagros Mass in October, including a procession with a copy of an image of Jesus Christ that was painted during the 17th Century.
In Paterson’s Peru Square, a Peruvian enclave, Caesar Moreno told CBS TV that he’s proud of a pope who lived and served his native country.
“There is hope for humanity with this new pope. We need more people to be united and love each other,” Moreno said.
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Brian Honsberger, executive director of St. Paul Inside the Walls in Madison and diocesan mission and technology integration director, said the pope’s name, Leo VIX, is significant. He also co-hosts a podcast, Paul Street Journal, about Catholic social teaching on economics.
Pope Leo’s name most likely refers to Pope Leo XIII, the first pontiff to speak out for social justice and the plight of workers. The problems in the 21st Century harken back to those of Leo XIV’s time in the late 19th Century. They include political polarization, a housing crisis, a rise in nationalism and military buildups, a major wealth gap, a general skepticism about God and religion, and the rapid pace of technological advancements that cause economic and social disruption, Honsberger said, who penned a column published in the Beacon.
“The choice of the name Leo recognizes that the world is in a similar place. The Church, led by the Holy Spirit, recognizes the signs of the times. These times call for a Leo. Pope Leo XIV intends to address these important issues. I hope he’s effective,” Honsberger said.
Msgr. Mahoney, a retired priest and former diocesan vicar general and moderator of the Curia, shares something in common with Pope Leo: they both hail from Chicago. They are also rival Windy City baseball fans, the Paterson priest for the Cubs, and the pontiff for the White Sox.
The priest said he thought the prevailing Church wisdom was that an American would most likely not get elected because of America’s considerable global political power.
“I was stunned. I couldn’t be more thrilled. The new pope has an American sensibility. He is a much-needed bridge builder and brings people together. It’s needed now in a divided Church,” said Msgr. Mahoney, adding that they come from Chicago, a melting pot where nationality is important. “The pope is sensitive to all nationalities and people. It’s a great day for Chicagoans, Americans, and the Church.”
