Someday after the election of Pope Leo XIV, the primary pontiff from the U.S., seven American cardinals sat down with reporters on Friday to debate the Chicago native who now leads the Roman Catholic Church and the way he’ll observe the footsteps of Pope Francis, however not as a “photocopy.”
The cardinals that gathered — Daniel DiNardo, Timothy Dolan, Joseph Tobin, Blase Cupich, Wilton Gregory, Robert McElroy and Christophe Pierre — agreed that each one members of the clergy labored successfully collectively to elect a pontiff that may observe Pope Francis, who died on April 21.
“It was a tremendous alternative to see such a various meeting of humanity coming from many alternative views, going through many alternative challenges, however coming collectively for a standard function to search out Peter’s successor, and I believe we did effectively,” Gregory, the archbishop emeritus of Washington, mentioned through the press convention on the Pontifical North American School in Rome.
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A number of of the cardinals admitted they had been shocked an American was chosen, together with Robert McElroy — archbishop of Washington — who “at all times thought it will be inconceivable.”
Cardinals Daniel DiNardo,Timothy Dolan, Joseph Tobin, Blase Cupich, Wilton Gregory, Robert McElroy and Christophe Pierre attend a press convention on the Pontifical North American School in Rome, Italy, Could 9, 2025.
Guglielmo Mangiapane/Reuters
However Dolan, the archbishop of New York, mentioned he didn’t suppose the truth that Leo was from the U.S. “carried a lot weight” within the resolution to elect him because the 267th chief of the church.
He additionally recommended that Leo’s election wasn’t a response to President Donald Trump.
“I do not suppose in any respect my brother cardinals would have considered him as a counterweight to anyone particular person,” he mentioned.
Relating to remarks made earlier by Cardinal Maung Bo — who said Leo will “build a bridge” with Trump — Dolan mentioned the brand new pontiff will as a substitute “construct bridges with leaders of each nation.”
Dolan mentioned Leo’s potential assembly with Trump would “not be of extra heft” than conversations with different world leaders.
Total, Gregory — who agreed with Dolan’s suggestion that American politics had nothing to do with the choice to elect Leo — informed reporters the cardinals had been trying to elect somebody who may lead the Catholic Church and will reply these questions: “Who amongst us can convey us collectively? Who amongst us can strengthen the religion and convey the religion to locations it has grown weak?”
Throughout the conclave itself, Gregory mentioned Leo engaged in conversations with members of the clergy in “smaller teams,” particularly throughout meal occasions and low breaks.
U.S. Cardinal Timothy Dolan of NY and Cardinal Joseph Tobin of Newark attend a press convention on the North American School in Rome, Could 9, 2025.
Gregorio Borgia/AP
“It wasn’t like he obtained up and made an overwhelmingly convincing speech that wowed the physique,” Gregory mentioned.
Cardinal Robert McElroy, archbishop of Washington, mentioned it was not the substance of what Leo mentioned through the conclave, however the “method during which he mentioned it” that resonated with the cardinals.
Tobin, archbishop of Newark, described a second through the conclave, when he noticed Leo, previously Cardinal Robert Prevost, with “his head in his fingers” after realizing he might probably develop into pope.
“I used to be praying for him, as a result of I could not think about what occurs to a human being once you’re going through one thing like that, after which when he accepted it, it was like he was made for it,” Tobin mentioned. “All of no matter anguish was resolved by the sensation that, I believe, that this wasn’t merely his saying sure to a proposal, however God would make one thing clear.”
The clergy additionally seen that Leo had the thoughts of Pope Benedict and the “missionary zeal” of Francis, Dolan mentioned. Equally, McElroy mentioned Leo has the “similar kind of freedom that’s in his coronary heart and soul that was in Francis,” however the brand new pontiff might not categorical that freedom in the identical method.
Newly elected Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass with the School of Cardinals contained in the Sistine Chapel on the Vatican the day after his election as 267th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church, Could 9, 2025.
Simone Risoluti/Vatican Media through AP
“We’re on the lookout for somebody following the pathway, however we aren’t on the lookout for a photocopy,” McElroy mentioned.
Gregory, who mentioned he spoke to Leo through the conclave about how they’re each from Chicago, suggested the world to offer the brand new pope persistence as he grows into this function, joking that he has solely been on this place for a day.
“He is by no means been pope earlier than,” Gregory mentioned. “Pope Leo will shock us as he brings his items, confronts the challenges and responds in grace to the wants of the church.”
