‘A blessing’: US Catholics celebrate first American pope

NEW YORK – US Catholics flocked to churches across the country in a celebratory mood to mark the “excitement” of

the first-ever American pontiff

following May 8’s (May 9 Singapore time) election of Pope Leo XIV, who worshippers hoped would bring back lapsed believers.

Outside Manhattan’s imposing St Patrick’s Cathedral, Ms Rosaria Vigorito, 66, said she could “feel the excitement just in the few minutes I’ve been walking around”.

The Miami artist said she hoped Pope Leo, a 69-year-old from Chicago who spent much of his career in Peru, would be a reformist.

“I have one issue with the Catholic Church that I’m hoping it will correct, and that is allowing women to become priests,” she said, a crucifix around her neck.

“I think Mary Magdalene was an important apostle. There was a press release issued by the Vatican years ago – they called her the apostle to the apostles.”

Crowds of faithful and journalists had gathered outside the church that first opened its doors in 1879, with hundreds of worshippers filing in to pray and light candles.

A news ticker outside the nearby Fox News building announced the shock news to passers-by.

Mr Oscar Salvador, 45, a labourer from Mexico, said he hoped Pope Leo would be able to stem the tide of people leaving the Catholic Church.

“I believe it is a blessing for the people of America,” he said.

“Hopefully, he will leave a good legacy... so that more people stay in Catholicism since, lately, we have seen many people leave for other religious sects.”

‘A bit surprised’

In Houston, the sprawling Texas city where more than a quarter of residents reportedly identify as Roman Catholic, Ms Azul Montemayor said she was “a bit surprised”.

“I was not expecting an American to be elected and I’m just hoping that he carries on (Pope) Francis’ legacy of just being more inclusive, and I hope he doesn’t get swayed by more conservative ideology that we’re having in the United States right now under President Trump,” said the 29-year-old examinations officer.

Analyst Ciro Benitez, 41, told AFP that Pope Leo’s multiculturalism was a sign “that we can expand to different kinds of cultures, (and) I guess, to the world”.

In Washington, Peruvian diplomat Julio Aiana, 32, said “we are happy that now we have a pope who is half Peruvian” – referring to the nationality Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost acquired while ministering there years before becoming pope.

“I believe that the times are changing,” Mr Aiana said.

Reverend Monsignor W. Ronald Jameson, director of the Cathedral of St Matthew the Apostle, told AFP that Pope Leo “was a friend of Pope Francis – and he has the ability to really listen and reflect on what was said, and to implement those various ideas he heard”.

In Los Angeles, Ms Francis Fah attended a special mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels to offer special prayers for Pope Leo.

“I think that maybe this is a sign that, hopefully, he can do something to get some peace and stability in the country,” she told AFP.

Back in New York, worshipper Tim Anderson, 61, said Pope Leo’s strength would lie in his languages – the pontiff can reportedly speak English, Spanish, Italian, French and Portuguese, in addition to reading Latin and German.

“I’m still working on English so I think it’s going to be interesting in this day and age where there’s so much craziness,” he laughed.

“Maybe he can bring back a little bit of what I remember as a child growing up a Roman Catholic – and how full the churches were back then.”

‘Welcoming to everybody’?

Ms Vigorito said she wanted Pope Leo “to bring us together”.

She acknowledged that the new pontiff would have a daunting task to “do as much as (he) can as a religious leader, because we deal with a lot of secular politics and issues”.

“I would love the new pope to help, especially with conflicts in any way possible, like in Ukraine,” she said.

Mr Salvador said he was also hopeful Pope Leo “can reconcile the countries that are at war and help them to reach peace so that we do not continue on this violent path that we are living on today”.

Having an American pope “will help bring more people to the Catholic Church, and even those that have walked away – maybe they’ll get re-engaged”, added Ms Vigorito.

Ms Annie Elm from North Carolina paid tribute to the late Pope Francis, calling him “wonderful” and praising his legacy.

“He loved everybody. He lived very modestly,” she said. “He was very humble.”

Ms Elm said she hoped Pope Leo would be “very kind and caring – welcoming to everybody”. AFP