As Catholics around the world react to the election of Pope Leo XIV, a local priest says he was greatly surprised by the announcement.
St. Francis of Assisi Parish Lead Pastor Doug LeCaptain spoke with Seehafernews.com after the announcement of Cardinal Robert Prevost becoming the next pope.
Prevost was born in Chicago but became a bishop in Peru.
LeCaptain says his job became finding the next bishops to add to the church, noting, “Not only meeting with bishops, but he had a sense of connecting with the laity, in reference to who should become their next bishop.”
He says he was hoping that the next pope would have been from outside of Europe, but didn’t expect the US.
“Certainly gave it a worldwide view of the church,” he explained. “And recognizing Pope Francis himself coming from South America. So, certainly an opportunity to reach out around the world as well.”
One of the first things LeCaptain was looking for in the new pope was his message, or episcopal model.
Leo’s model is “In one Christ, we are one.”
The Manitowoc priest was also intrigued by a quote of Leo saying that he wants to communicate the beauty and joy of knowing Christ, similar the message of Pope Francis.
“I’m sure Pope Leo will do that differently,” he said. “But in that same sense of joy of Christ and of sharing in that.”
LeCaptain said he thinks that the other Cardinals who announced Leo as the next pope were looking at what he did, which could have included his time as a missionary.
But he explains in the end, it was the holy spirit that guided them to Leo.
The local parish will be recognizing the new pope in their announcements and will again include a name in the Eucharistic Prayer.
