Wisconsin Catholics rejoice over first American pope

'Long Live the Pope!' — 鈥淟ong Live the Pope! Long Live the Pope!鈥� chanted sixth-graders from Everest Academy, a Catholic School in Lamont, Ill., in front of Holy Name Cathedral, the seat of the Archdiocese of Chicago, following the election of Pope Leo XIV, a Chicago native and the first American pope, Thursday in Chicago.
OWEN ZILIAK, STATE JOURNAL

Augustinian Sister Angelica Summer, vocation/formation director for the Sisters of St. Rita in Racine, has met the man who is now Pope Leo XIV on several occasions in Chicago, including his appointment as bishop.

She admits she did not originally expect Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost to have a chance at becoming pope because he'd only been a cardinal for听two-and-a-half years.

听

"Once we heard that he might have a little chance, we started praying, but we really didn't think he would have a chance," she said. "So I can only say the Holy Spirit made a good choice and the Cardinals were open to His choice," she said.

听

When Summer found out Leo had been selected as Pope, she "shed tears of joy and gratitude."

听

"I just know that he is going to follow Pope Francis. He is a true shepherd who doesn't mind getting dirty and really (caring) for his sheep," Summer said.

听

Catholic leaders and parishioners across Wisconsin joined Summer in celebrating the selection of a Chicago-area native as the first American pope.

"We thank God for our new Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV! In this Jubilee Year of Hope, we ask the Lord to shower Pope Leo XIV with grace and favor as he begins the beautiful, arduous, and evangelizing task of shepherding the Universal Church," Diocese of Madison Bishop Donald J. Hying said in a statement.

"Usually Catholics from the United States never, ever get to be pope, so that was kind of a shock and surprise and actually how fast it went as well too,"听said Father Joseph Lappe at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary of Pompeii in Kenosha.

"We're happy to get the new Pope Leo XIV," he said. "We keep praying for him that he does the job that God calls him to do, that he's got the courage to do so."

The Rev. Fr.听Juan Manuel Camacho, of the Catholic Community of Eight parishes in Racine, called Leo's selection as pope a "wonderful surprise."

"Everybody talks about that the cardinals would never choose an American pope just because of being American, being so powerful politically ... but it was a beautiful surprise," Camacho said.

Camacho said he believes Leo's experiences serving in South America and traveling the world as the leader of the Augustinians give Leo "a broader view of the universal church."

听

"I think he has a very great missionary heart, and that's a beautiful thing," Camacho said. "I think that will be, probably, his guiding principle to shepherd the Church into a church that is missionary. Even in his opening remarks, he talks about the need to build bridges of communication, justice and peace, and to do great dialogue between the Church and the world and everyone, and knowing that we are in the hands of God."

听

Camacho added that Leo's family's immigrant background, having a Spanish mother and a French and Italian father, may make him relate more to immigrants and "those in the margins."

Witnessing history

Bill Kintis, deacon at Mt. Carmel Catholic Church in Kenosha, was very pleased with the selection of the first American-born pontiff.

"I was totally excited about the selection, especially with someone at a younger age. He will be there a while so it will be great for the church," Kintis said. "We definitely wish him the very best. I think he will do an awesome job."

Diocese of La Crosse Bishop Gerard Battersby shared the astonishment many others expressed, but also found the development exciting.

听

鈥淚 have to say that I鈥檓 stunned, because the received wisdom is that an American could never be made the Pope, because America is a superpower,鈥� said Battersby. 鈥淏ut apparently received wisdom isn鈥檛 always right, and I think it鈥檚 very exciting that we have a Pope who understands America and understands the church in America.鈥�

听

Battersby said Pope Leo XIV's love for deep-dish pizza make him 鈥渕ore real to us.鈥�

鈥淚鈥檓 very happy,鈥� Bernice Thering said as she walked into mass at St. Bernard Catholic Church in Madison on Thursday evening. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 think we鈥檇 ever have an American pope.鈥�

Thering added, 鈥淚 was hoping that we鈥檇 have someone very much like Pope Francis, and I think that鈥檚 what we got.鈥�

UW-La Crosse students at the Roncalli Newman Catholic Church expressed elation as Pope Leo XIV听stepped out on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, revealing himself as the first American pope.

鈥淚 saw him come out, and I just had full body chills,鈥� said UW-La Crosse student听Megan McDonald. 鈥淚鈥檓 getting chills just thinking about it now. 鈥� I think he鈥檚 going to do really great things.鈥�

Milwaukee Archbishop Jeffrey S. Grob honored the memory of Pope Francis and rejoiced on the selection of Cardinal Prevost.听

"As Americans, it is especially gratifying to witness the history of the first American Pope," he said in a statement.

"The wonderful qualities that already have been seen in the life and ministry of our new Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, shown by his vision to leave his homeland and to go on mission in service to people of another land, renew in us our own call to be missionaries of the Gospel."