Eventually after the political election of Pope Leo XIV, the initial pontiff from the united state, 7 American cardinals took a seat with press reporters on Friday to go over the Chicago local that currently leads the Roman Catholic Church and just how he will certainly adhere to the footprints of Pope Francis, however not as a “copy.”
The cardinals that collected– Daniel DiNardo, Timothy Dolan, Joseph Tobin, Blase Cupich, Wilton Gregory, Robert McElroy and Christophe Pierre– concurred that all participants of the clergy functioned successfully with each other to choose a pontiff that would certainly adhere to Pope Francis, that passed away on April 21.
” It was a remarkable chance to see such a varied setting up of humankind originating from several viewpoints, encountering several difficulties, however integrating for an usual objective to locate Peter’s follower, and I believe we succeeded,” Gregory, the archbishop emeritus of Washington, stated throughout journalism meeting at the Pontifical North American University in Rome.
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Numerous of the cardinals confessed they were shocked an American was chosen, consisting of Robert McElroy– archbishop of Washington– that “constantly believed it would certainly be difficult.”
Cardinals Daniel DiNardo, Timothy Dolan, Joseph Tobin, Blase Cupich, Wilton Gregory, Robert McElroy and Christophe Pierre go to an interview at the Pontifical North American University in Rome, Italy, Might 9, 2025.
Guglielmo Mangiapane/Reuters
Yet Dolan, the archbishop of New york city, stated he did not believe the truth that Leo was from the united state “brought much weight” in the choice to choose him as the 267th leader of the church.
He additionally recommended that Leo’s political election had not been a response to Head of state Donald Trump.
” I do not believe in any way my sibling cardinals would certainly have considered him as a weight to any kind of a single person,” he stated.
Pertaining to comments made earlier by Cardinal Maung Bo– that stated Leo will certainly “construct a bridge” with Trump– Dolan stated the brand-new pontiff will certainly rather “construct bridges with leaders of every country.”
Dolan stated Leo’s prospective conference with Trump would certainly “not be of even more heft” than discussions with various other globe leaders.
Generally, Gregory– that concurred with Dolan’s recommendation that American national politics had absolutely nothing to do with the choice to choose Leo– informed press reporters the cardinals were trying to choose a person that could lead the Catholic Church and could address these concerns: “That amongst us can bring us with each other? That amongst us can reinforce the confidence and bring the confidence to locations it has expanded weak?”
Throughout the conclave itself, Gregory stated Leo talked with participants of the clergy in “smaller sized teams,” especially throughout dish times and coffee breaks.
United State Cardinal Timothy Dolan of NY and Cardinal Joseph Tobin of Newark go to an interview at the North American University in Rome, Might 9, 2025.
Gregorio Borgia/AP
” It had not been like he rose and made an extremely persuading speech that wowed the body,” Gregory stated.
Cardinal Robert McElroy, archbishop of Washington, stated it was not the material of what Leo stated throughout the conclave, however the “way in which he stated it” that reverberated with the cardinals.
Tobin, archbishop of Newark, explained a minute throughout the conclave, when he saw Leo, previously Cardinal Robert Prevost, with “his head in his hands” after understanding he can perhaps come to be pope.
” I was wishing him, due to the fact that I could not envision what takes place to a human being when you’re encountering something like that, and after that when he approved it, it resembled he was produced it,” Tobin stated. “Every one of whatever suffering was solved by the sensation that, I believe, that this had not been merely his claiming yes to a proposition, however God would certainly make something clear.”
The clergy additionally saw that Leo had the mind of Pope Benedict and the “missionary passion” of Francis, Dolan stated. In a similar way, McElroy stated Leo has the “exact same sort of liberty that remains in his body and soul that remained in Francis,” however the brand-new pontiff might not reveal that liberty likewise.
Recently chosen Pope Leo XIV commemorates Mass with the University of Cardinals inside the Sistine Church at the Vatican the day after his political election as 267th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church, Might 9, 2025.
Simone Risoluti/Vatican Media through AP
” We are searching for a person adhering to the path, however we are not searching for a xerox,” McElroy stated.
Gregory, that stated he talked to Leo throughout the conclave concerning just how they are both from Chicago, suggested the globe to offer the brand-new pope persistence as he turns into this duty, joking that he has actually just remained in this setting for a day.
” He’s never ever been pope previously,” Gregory stated. “Pope Leo will certainly shock us as he brings his presents, faces the difficulties and reacts in elegance to the requirements of the church.”
