GRAND RAPIDS..MICH — Catholics in Michigan are celebrating the election of Pope Leo the XIV, the first American to lead the Roman Catholic Church.
"The acceptance and the joy of having a Pope, having a leader, is palpable," said Bishop David Walkowiak of the Diocese of Grand Rapids. "Nobody really thought that we'd have a Midwesterner as the next leader of the Roman Catholic Communion, and that makes me happy."
Parishioners gathered at the Diocese of Grand Rapids on Friday to pray for the new Pope's "protection, safety, and guidance." Many expressed a personal connection to the first American Pope.
"I actually grew up in the Chicago area, so that's exceptionally exciting for me, just on a personal level, and I've already warned the family that I'm about to become insufferable," said parishioner Emily Fust.
Others are hopeful for the future under Pope Leo's leadership. "I think there will be a lot of things that will be new and exciting. You know, he's gonna be the Pope, so hopefully he'll bring a lot of good things to our world, just as the other popes have in the past," said parishioner Gail Morse.
Bishop Walkowiak described the mood among Michigan Catholics as one of "happiness and joy, moved to tears, dancing."
As they send their prayers to Pope Leo, Michigan Catholics look forward to seeing what the new Pontiff will accomplish.
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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