And finally the American pope arrived. Surprisingly, on a late afternoon in Roman May, after just one day of conclave.
Last night a delay that tasted like yellow, today the white smoke that thrilled the crowd at St. Peter’s and all those who followed on a planetary scale to one of the world’s most important ritual events.
Robert Prevost, a Chicago-born Augustinian with long missionary experience in Peru, introduced himself around 7:30 p.m. at the central loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica as Francis’ successor.
In the sign of Francis, symbolic, spiritual, moral and political. Francis quoted, thanked, prayed. Peace be with you, the semantic peace of beginning a mission that was Bergoglio’s.
He chose the name of Leo XIV, a long, formal speech, a program, much personal emotion but little emotion in the text and execution. No overflowing subjectivity, Wojtyla leaning on the balcony and saying “you will corigerate me,” Bergoglio saying “I come from the end of the world.”
But the choice is clear : Francis’ geopolitics will be carried forward. Trump immediately complimented, “a great honor for our country the first American pope.”
It was said that on that day, the day of the funeral, Trump did more than talk to Zelenski. All true, but Prevost, 69, will not only be a North American, he will be the man of bridges: with his Peru, with Latin America, on the side therefore also of the poorest.
Born in Chicago but to mixed immigrant family. Open, dialoguing with conservatives and progressives, a man of experience even in the Curia and therefore a man of government.
He was hastily elected on Our Lady’s Day, May 8. The Church chooses quickly. The world, not only the world of the faithful, needs a Shepherd, a guide, a leader.
The article America’s first pope comes from TheNewyorker.
