In a historic turn for the Catholic Church, Cardinal Robert Prevost, a Chicago native, has ascended as Pope Leo XIV – marking him as the first American pontiff in history. The selection of Pope Leo XIV is resonating strongly with worshippers from the Triangle area in North Carolina, as Catholics express their excitement and joy over the groundbreaking event.
Prevost, who spent much of his ministry in Peru before leading the Vatican's office of bishops, has imbued the Catholic community with a sense of anticipation for the future. “It’s overwhelming joy. You talk to anybody, they have that joy, and just that excitement for the future,” David Beckert, a student at North Carolina State University, told WRAL. At Cardinal Gibbons High School in Raleigh and Duke University in Durham, celebrations commenced as locals reveled in the historic election of their new spiritual leader.
Raleigh Catholics, some of whom were on vacation in Italy, found themselves witness to the momentous occasion. Natalie Telep and Katelyn Swan were in the vicinity of the Vatican during the announcement of the new pope, experiencing "a mass exodus to out front of the basilica," as Telep described in an interview with CBS17. The serendipity of their timing allowed them to partake in what Swan called an energetically charged setting during a historic time.
Pope Leo XIV’s diverse background, which includes fluency in Italian and Spanish, and his educational roots as a graduate from Villanova University, has Father Tom Simisky at Saint Raphael the Archangel Catholic Church anticipating a "pretty good brackets," come next basketball season, according to CBS17. Leo XIV brings hope and an international perspective to a faith seeking guidance in tumultuous times. Consuela Andrad, echoing the sentiment of many, mentioned that the new pope "sounds like he’s going to be what we need right now in the United States and the world," in her statement to CBS17.
Amidst the enthusiasm, the choice of an American pope was indeed a surprising break from past conventions, considering the geopolitical influence of the U.S. Father Noe Ramirez from Raleigh, who experienced the events up close in Rome, felt a universal connection through Pope Leo XIV's initial message, telling ABC11, "That didn't really matter as much to us as much as his message of peace to the world, and that sense of community, which we need." The new pope's words transcended national identity, focusing instead on a message of peace and togetherness.
