- May 11th marks the first Holy Sunday under the new Catholic leadership of Pope Leo XIV.
- Leon County Catholics gathered at Co-Cathedral of St. Thomas More for Sunday mass, which dedicated a brief prayer for the Pope.
- Watch the video to hear from neighbors and parishioners about their expectations for the newly elected pontiff.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
A new era for the Catholic Church, yet tradition continues. I'm Kenya Cardonne in the College Town neighborhood outside the Co-Cathedral of St. Thomas More, where dozens of Catholics in our community gathered for the first Sunday mass under the new leadership of Pope Leo XIV.
Catholics in Leon County say they find it fitting that on this Good Shepherd Sunday, they united for the first Sunday mass under the leadership of their newest shepherd, Pope Leo XIV.
Peter Del Castillo, Neighbor - "It feels like history in the making. It inspires hope. It inspires leadership. It's a proud moment for the church, where we all rally around the person who shepherds us towards Christ."
The Church's Cardinals elected their first American pontiff on May 8th. That historic decision created shock, excitement and curiosity within and beyond the world's 1.4 billion Catholics. Expectations for how he will carry the title and its global influence continue to mount.
Father Tim Holeda, Rector at Co-Cathedral of St. Thomas More - "The way we look at it is, he's in charge. So I don't impose my views or my will on him. It's the other way around. I kind of look to him for help, look to him for guidance, look to him to shepherd me."
At the Co-Cathedral of St. Thomas More, parishioners tell me they're already impressed by what they've seen of Pope Leo, including his prayer for peace in Ukraine and Gaza during his first Sunday noon blessing in the Vatican City.
"In today's dramatic scenario of a third world war in pieces, as Pope Francis has repeatedly stated, I too address the world's great powers by repeating the ever-present call 'never again war,'" said Pope Leo XIV.
Here in Leon County, one pastor tells me our working class could feel the pontiff's impact. Pope Leo XIV said he selected his name in part to honor Pope Leo XIII for his commitment to social issues and workers' rights during the Industrial Revolution.
Luke Farabaugh, Associate Pastor at Co-Cathedral of St. Thomas More - "We're not in the Industrial Revolution, but really in the technological revolution, and I think this is a really important time to be thinking about those people, like the backbones of our society, and just how much they matter, and you know, what the church can do, and have an eye towards them."
Holeda - "I met a gentleman last night at dinner who was Jewish. He came over to me and he said, 'Congratulations! I just think it's great, I'm so excited.' How interesting is that?"
Catholics tell me the reason we see a Pope's influence extend beyond the religion itself is because of the rich history rooted in it all.
Farabaugh - "From St. Peter, the very first pope, all the way to Pope Leo XIV, we have this unbroken chain and so I think there's something of gravity, there's also just a certain authority that is born with that office. So, I think it just extends beyond Catholicism that there's something ancient, there's something beautiful about what's happening here."
Besides being the first American pope, Pope Leo's diverse ancestry is also sparking attention across the globe. ABC News reports the pope has Black family roots in New Orleans, Louisiana. In College Town, Kenya Cardonne ABC 27.
Want to see more local news? Visit the WTXL ABC 27 Website.
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