Catholic worshipers flocked to St. Patrick’s Cathedral on May 11, the first Sunday following the election of Chicago native Robert Prevost, now known as Pope Leo XIV, as the first-ever pope born in the United States.
Msgr. Joseph LaMorte, the archdiocese’s vicar general, told parishioners during Mass that Cardinal Dolan would be returning to the United States next Tuesday.
“We can’t wait to hear some of the stories that he’s allowed to talk about,” said LaMorte, who is Dolan’s deputy. Lamorte acknowledged even he would not be able to hear the full inside story of the election of the new pope on the second day of the conclave on May 8 because, “You know the secrecy of the conclave is very, very serious,” said LaMorte.
Worshipers filled the 3,000-seat cathedral to capacity. “I think it’s great that he’s American,” said Ann Culshaw, who herself hailed from Leighlands, outside Manchester, England.
”It will be interesting to see how he changes or doesn’t change things,” said Kelly Thompson on the steps outside St. Patrick’s. She and her daughter were visiting from Oakland County, Michigan. “I hope he gets more young people involved in the church,” said her daughter, Reagan.
Deanna Sienkiewicz and daughter Lily, also visiting from Michigan, said they had visited St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican during the summer while Pope Francis was still alive. Of the new pope, Deanna said, “I think he will lend some good visions on world affairs.”
David, who did not give his last name but said he was from Sydney, Australia, called Leo’s election “a good change. I hope he is a progressive. It’s good to have someone young.” Told that he is 69 years old, he responded, “Well, he looks young compared to Pope Francis,” who was 82 when he died.
Patrick Sheridan told Reuters that he came to St. Patrick’s from New Jersey and was happy to learn that the new pope was a 1977 graduate of Villanova University outside Philadelphia. “We were extremely excited when we heard about it,” Sheridan said as he stood on the steps with his wife, Mary. Many of their family members had attended Villanova.
Vatican watchers in the days after the election were still trying to glean the pope’s leanings. He served as a missionary in Peru and was a naturalized Peruvian citizen. He was only appointed a cardinal by Pope Francis two years earlier and worked in the Vatican with Pope Francis in selecting new bishops.
He grew up in a parish just outside Chicago and attended a Catholic school called St. Mary’s, since closed. Despite a bid by the Chicago Cubs to claim him as one of their fans with an invite to Wrigley Field, the Pope’s brother John said he is actually a lifelong White Sox fan.
Fans of the New York Knicks began circulating a meme that photoshopped the new pope into a photo with three of the current teammates who played for Villanova on national championship teams: Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, and Jalen Brunson. The hope was that it would be a good omen in the Knicks’ bruising battle with the Celtics, although there was no divine intervention in the Knicks’ loss on May 10.
Another meme showed banners with three NCAA championships for Villanova in 1985, 2016, and 2018; in the banner for 2025, instead of NCAA championship, it read simply: “Pope.”
Jason Graham, also spoke to Reuters on the steps of the cathedral and offered that having an American pope could help improve the image of the United States abroad.
“Our country’s not looking so great, especially with the current administration,” Graham said, “But I think that [the new pope] is a positive influence for America, and I think he’s going to have a positive impact on how other people in the world will see America.”
Katerina Guerra was visiting New York from Rome with husband Maurizio and 11-year-old son, Vittorio. “Everyone is going there, and we came here,” she laughed. She said she thought the election of the first-ever American pope is “fantastic. In this moment, you are very lucky.”
On the steps leading to the cathedral gates, Patrick Sheridan, who came to the Mass from New Jersey, stood alongside his wife Mary. The couple were elated to learn that the new pope was a graduate of Philadelphia’s Villanova University, the same school many of their family members attended.
“We were extremely excited when we heard about it,” Patrick Sheridan said.
LaMorte, who is Dolan’s deputy, said he was keen to meet with the cardinal when he returns to New York.
“We can’t wait to hear some of the stories that he’s allowed to talk about,” LaMorte said. “You know the secrecy of the conclave is very, very serious.”
Jason Graham on the steps outside told Reuters that having an American Pope could help improve the image of the United States abroad.
“Our country’s not looking so great, especially with the current administration,” Graham said, referring to President Trump’s tariffs and other policies that are unpopular in other countries.
“But I think that (the new pope) is a positive influence for America, and I think he’s going to have a positive impact on how other people in the world will see America,”