Habemus Papam! On May 8, the world got a new pope after a little over a day of secretive cardinal decision-making. The quick turnaround was a surprise to many, as was the man who walked out onto the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica: Chicago-born Robert Francis Provost, now Pope Leo XIV. 

“Shock would be the first word,” said Pastor Philip Tracy of All Saints Parish. The parish oversees several regional Catholic churches, including Boothbay Harbor’s Our Lady Queen of Peace. 

In the days leading up to the conclave, a list of top cardinal contenders began to take shape as public speculation rose, but Leo was usually dismissed from the discussion. This fact, his American citizenship, and his young age compared to his recent predecessors (Leo is 69, while Francis and Benedict were both in their mid-70s upon election) make him an unexpected choice, according to Tracy. 

“We’re very happy,” he said.  

He believes Leo will bring a cultural understanding to the papacy that will speak to the American Catholic community, while still offering a worldwide prospective. Leo has spent most of his life abroad, serving as a bishop in Latin America and maintaining dual American-Peruvian citizenship. He can also speak English, Spanish, French, Italian and Portuguese, and read Latin and German, according to National Catholic Reporter.  

“I pray for him as I cannot imagine the gravity of this position,” said Lynn Maloney, a self-described “Cradle Catholic.”  

Leo is now the spiritual guide for the world’s over 1.4 billion Catholics. So far, his messaging around the poor and migrants seems to fall in line with Pope Francis and, in Tracy’s view, shows how the church needs to reach out, not just wait for people to come to their door.  

But t Leo is already distinguishing himself by speaking out against artificial intelligence (AI), a startling new idea for an ancient institution. “(He’s showing) how we speak to modern times in the words of Jesus,” said Tracy.

However, there seems to be a common sticking point with the new pope: Leo’s baseball opinions, particularly his status as a White Sox fan over the Chicago Cubs. Maloney, who spent 36 years in the Chicago suburbs, said he questions the pope’s choice of allegiance. Tracy was blunter: “He knows suffering.”