Like the, this Pope of American origin transcends borders

The faithful of Los Angeles, the most American Catholic city, were delighted – and a little amazed – Thursday to learn a priest born in Chicago to the deep roots in Peru had been elected to direct the 1.4 billion Catholics of the world.

The surprising elevation of Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, 69, to the Pope marked the first time that someone in the United States was responsible for what is undoubtedly the most prominent position of global religion.

It was a result which attracted many followers of the Catholic Church, which distant its objective from its narrowed base in Europe in the growing number of faithful in the world, completely by surprise.

“I had somewhat updated it, because, you know, we did not think that an American would necessarily be a good idea,” given the quantity of power and influence that the United States is already moving around the world, said Father Allan Deck, professor of theology at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.

But because Prevost, who chose to be called Pope Leo XIV, spent decades serving the Church in South America and had reached the direction of an international religious order known as Augustinians, Deck said that he was only placed to unify Catholics around the world.

It could also inspire a resurgence of faith in the United States, where many parish benches have been not populated for decades.

“The choice is absolutely inspiring; I am delighted,” said Deck.

The announcement was doubly gentle for Carolina Guevara, director of communications for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, who was in Piura, Peru, celebrating the 105th anniversary of his grandmother when the new Pope was announced.

“It is really the reflection of our immigrant church to have a Pope who is Peruvian and American,” said Guevara. “To hear him break the tradition and speak in Spanish to address his hometown – it was also such a beautiful moment. It filled our hearts. “

For Catholic Angelenos and Peruvian immigrants in particular, “there will be a feeling of great joy,” she said.

Pope Leo XIV appears on the central loggia of the Saint-Pierre basilica after being chosen on the 267th pontiff of the Roman Catholic church.

(Alessandra Tarantino / Associated Press)

And just like the Metropolitan of Los Angeles, it is difficult to overestimate how international the new Pope is.

He was born in Chicago to a father of Italian and French ancestry and a mother of Spanish ancestry. He continued his studies in the United States and Italy. He is a naturalized citizen of Peru, where he was a priest for 20 years. He speaks English, Italian, Spanish, Latin and French.

His diversified experience and his large exhibition at different cultures have buzzed the Catholic community of California, hope and the feeling of familiarity.

“He really understands what the reality of the different cultures of the United States is,” said the Archbishop of Los Angeles, José H. Gomez. “These cultures are a real blessing for us.”

Joseph Tomás McKellar, director of Pico California, a large community-based community network, was euphoric Thursday morning, a few minutes after Prevost finished his first speech as a Pope from the balcony overlooking Saint-Pierre square in the city of the Vatican.

“I’m so emotional, I’m just trembling,” he said. “What we have is a pope who is a bridge manufacturer, who will continue in the footsteps of Pope Francis and ensure that the church is immediate to those who are the most excluded, who are on the fringes, who feel lost in the turbulent moments of our world.”

“The fact that they have selected an American who came out (in the world) said something about the priorities of the church,” added McKellar.

These priorities were to change because the church itself changes so quickly.

Catholics meet at the Cathedral of Notre-Dame des Anges in Los Angeles for a mass to welcome Pope Leo XIV.

(CARLIN STIEHL / LOS Angeles Times)

Formerly firmly anchored in Rome and pulling its main leaders of Europe, the Catholic Church has seen its number of parishioners decrease in countries like Italy and Spain, and stabilize barely in the United States.

Real growth is almost exclusively in the southern hemisphere – where the Church always dominates culture, politics and many aspects of daily life.

For example, Brazil has more than 120 million Catholics, representing more than half of the population. In Mexico, nearly 100 million Catholics represent more than 70% of the population. And in the Philippines, more than 75 million Catholics represent more than 80% of the population, according to the mission of the Catholic world.

Thus, when an Argentinian cardinal was elected Pope in 2013, many in the church praised him as a welcome evolution, almost inevitable. It was until Pope Francis, as he chose to be called, began to act unpredictable.

He has repudiated the luxurious assets favored by certain cardinals, and his practical devotion to the poor has broken with many long -standing traditions, and added a populist push to others.

For example, on Holy Thursday, the popes traditionally washed the feet of 12 male priests, a demonstration of humility intended to echo Jesus, wash the feet of his disciples at night before his death. Pope Francis shocked the conservatives when he widened the ritual, moving it outside the Vatican borders and making a symbol of inclusion, washing the feet of prisoners, women and Muslims.

Francis has created posts of authority for women, in particular by putting a nun in charge of a large office of the Vatican for the first time in the 2000 years of the Church. And while maintaining the long -standing principle of the church that gay sex is guilty, he said that the simple fact of being gay is not a crime and has met LGBTQ + people from all over the world.

A man prays to the cathedral of Notre-Dame des Anges during a mass to welcome Pope Leo XIV.

(CARLIN STIEHL / LOS Angeles Times)

The progressives of the Hope Pope Leo church will continue where Francis stopped.

Leo was criticized for previous comments on the LGBTQ +community, said McKellar, but he has confidence in the new Pope, the traces of Francis.

“I cannot imagine that he will not rely on the opening of the doors of mercy, and welcome to all, including our brothers and sisters LGBTQ +,” said McKellar.

Others wondered if the new pope would have the charm and rescue of the social media necessary to play as a front for the largest religion in the world.

“One thing we still don’t know about Leo is if he has the personality of modern papacy,” said Richard Wood, president of the Institute for Catholic Studies Advanced at the University of South California. “I think that his humility appears loud and clear, but has he the charisma that Francis had for the age of social media?” I suspect that it will be a quieter version of that if he has it. ”

He will also face other challenges. Wood stressed that the Vatican is in real financial difficulty. “The Vatican has lost many of its American, European, African and Asian donors. Can he bring them back to the table? ” He asked.

“The church is rightly anxious to preach the Gospels, but it is also a worldly institution that has to pay its bills, and the new Pope can help resolve some of this.”

Jose Mendez lifts his arms in prayer to the cathedral of Notre-Dame des Anges.

(CARLIN STIEHL / LOS Angeles Times)