An American Pope Arrives

A solemn oath, a moment etching itself into history. In the heart of the Vatican, beneath Michelangelo's last judgment in the Sistine Chapel, a man pledges to serve the Church until his final breath. An American on the chair of Peter, an Augustinian pope, a missionary, a man who knows the Curia, a fresh face for the Catholic Church.

A truly surprising election that echoed across the globe, sparking immediate reactions. First American Pope. It's really impressive. He's from Chicago, too, so it's really nice. It's nice to represent the United States. Just to be here in the city of Rome celebrating the first American Pope, words can't even describe. It's been very awesome.

Behind those closed doors, a secret kept for centuries. Cardinals, the faith's great electors, called to choose the new leader. A rapid conclave, almost unexpected, and the choice fell upon him. Robert Francis Prevost. An American, a missionary, a face that burst onto the world stage.

But who is this soul who captured the heart of the Vatican, surprising so many and stirring profound feelings? Incredibly shocked is more the correct term. He was not one of the cardinals at the time that they were thinking would be likely chosen and elected, but obviously the Holy Spirit works in mysterious ways, so we don't always know what he has planned. It was a complete surprise. I think a lot of the people, they thought was going to become the Pope. I was expecting maybe Sarah or maybe other options, but I was so surprised, very thankful that he's an American Pope.

We are a Peruvian community living in Rome, and we are really happy. I'm happy because I was able to choose a pope who really has Peruvian sentiments. Chicago, 1955. A simple story, but within, a spark of faith led him to an unconventional choice. To become a priest. Not just any priest, but an Augustinian.

Then, the distant call, Peru. Decades spent walking in the dust, sharing life with those who had nothing, building communities, offering hope. A priest with dirty hands, but a huge heart. He has lived so many years in our homeland, he has become one more Peruvian, he has eaten our food, and he has been in our joys and our difficulties.

But beyond that, he has won all the Peruvians for his way of being, humble, simple, peasant, as we usually say. A name perhaps less known, but one that embodies a powerful idea. Unity is strength. Not a solitary faith, but a shared journey, a search for truth alongside others.

His motto makes it clear. In illo uno, unum. In him who is one, we are one. When Pope Francis called him to Rome to lead the dicastery for bishops, Prevost didn't let it go to his head. He continued to live simply, discreetly. An unexpected neighbor you might bump into at the local coffee shop, always kind and with a smile for everyone.

And whenever he could, he'd slip outside Vatican walls to those parishes where life is tougher. There, in silence, he listened to people's stories. A priest who never forgets where he comes from. I believe he's going to be a pope for everyone, the youth, all cultures. Something that I thought was really amazing is he did come out in St. Benedict XVI's vestments, so I think he is a proponent for tradition and Novus Ordo and all the liturgies, and I'm very grateful for that.

So, he'll be a pope for everyone, and I think he's very gentle and loving, and we need him right now, so it's going to be amazing. Pope Francis had seen it coming. He understood the church needed new faces, different stories, and he put his trust in this American with the soul of a missionary.

Today, Leo XIV takes up the mantle. He brings the fresh wind of Latin America, the pragmatism of the United States, but above all, a heart that has beaten in unison with ordinary people. His ability to speak multiple languages, including Spanish, French, and Italian, truly makes him a living bridge between diverse cultures. An American on the throne of Peter. A new wave crashing on the Tiber. Will it be a revolution? Perhaps too early to say. But one thing is certain. With Pope Leo XIV, the Church will never be the same.

And the world is watching. Specifically for the United States, I would love to see him encourage the rise of traditional Latin Mass. I know a lot of people, particularly within America, have a deep desire, the youth have a deep desire, for just bringing back more tradition in the Latin Mass. So, I could see him giving our bishops more freedom and more liberty to give their priests and encourage them to promote the Latin Mass and give that back to the youth.

But he has never left our country. He lives in our country. Because his heart is with us. And that's important. Has America conquered the Vatican? The story has just begun. And Leo XIV's first steps confirm it. From his visit to the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, a clear signal of continuity, to his outing in Genzano, a moment of profound local contact, to the day spent with his Augustinian confreres near St. Peter's, and then his powerful audience with journalists, a heartfelt plea for peace, a resounding call for global responsibility.

A pope who doesn't forget his roots, and who seems determined to carve a path between tradition and novelty, between deep spirituality and unwavering engagement with the world. The journey of Pope Leo XIV, the American on the throne of Peter, has just begun.