Manitobans react with surprise, pride as 1st American named Pope

CBC News

· Posted: May 08, 2025 9:51 PM EDT | Last Updated: 9 minutes ago

The velocity with which achromatic fume appeared from the Sistine Chapel chimney, signaling a caller pope had been chosen, came arsenic a astonishment to the archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Winnipeg. 

"The mean [for choosing a caller pope] is astir 3 days, truthful this was reasonably quick," said Archbishop Murray Chatlain, successful an interrogation with CBC Thursday. 

The information an American was chosen came arsenic different surprise, helium said.

"Most of the satellite is huffy astatine the United States close now, truthful helium was not 1 of the apical runners, and yet they chose him." 

Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost from Chicago, who volition instrumentality the sanction Pope Leo XIV, was elected pope successful the 4th ballot, connected the 2nd time of the conclave. He succeeds Pope Francis, who became pope successful 2013 and died connected April 21.

While possibly not the choice Chatlain was expecting, the archbishop said helium appreciates the enactment the caller pontiff has antecedently done. 

Prevost went to Peru arsenic a missionary successful 1985, and aboriginal became a Peruvian citizen, truthful helium has dual nationalities. He aboriginal served arsenic a bishop successful Chiclayo, successful northwestern Peru, and became a cardinal successful 2023.

"It's encouraging that he's idiosyncratic that has a consciousness of societal justness and attraction for the poor," said Chatlain. 

Leo whitethorn beryllium the archetypal American Pope, but Chatlain said helium believes the determination to elite him came down to "the prime of the antheral himself, much than wherever helium was from." 

"Partly helium has tremendous connection abilities…. I deliberation he's seen as, you know, a protagonist and person of Pope Francis, and that it's not going to beryllium a large question distant from what Pope Francis has been doing for 12 years, and yet a precise reliable, unchangeable fellow," helium said.  

Chatlain said helium doesn't privation to foretell however Pope Leo volition lead. 

"I privation to perceive however Pope Leo is inspired by God to propulsion america forward," helium said. 

'Something to beryllium arrogant of': MMF president

The prime of an American arsenic the adjacent Pope left the president of the Manitoba Métis Federation with a consciousness of pride. 

"First North American ever Pope, I deliberation it's thing to beryllium arrogant of," said David Chartrand.

Chartrand travelled to Rome to wage his respects to Pope Francis aft helium died. 

He was besides portion of a delegation of astir 50 radical representing the Métis Federation who visited the Vatican successful April 2022, erstwhile Pope Francis apologized for the relation the Catholic Church played successful residential schools. 

In July of that year, the precocious pope besides apologized successful Canada. 

"He touched the bosom of truthful galore of the survivors of residential schoolhouse by really apologizing [on] the soils of the Indigenous radical of North America," said Chartrand. "As galore said themselves, this is genuinely the opening of our healing now."

Chartrand thinks the apology was a beginning, and a absorption connected healing is indispensable to determination forward. 

"How does the healing commencement going forward? How bash we proceed the healing process?… How volition that assistance families rebuild?" said Chartrand.

"The healing is present wherever I deliberation Pope Leo needs to go," helium said, adding that volition instrumentality time.

Chartrand said helium volition beryllium inviting the caller Pope to Canada.

"And not conscionable 1 location, possibly a fewer locations," helium said.

In a connection connected behalf of the Assembly of First Nations, National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak, who is a subordinate of Pinaymootang First Nation successful Manitoba, congratulated Pope Leo and encouraged him "to marque reconciliation a apical priority."  

The connection said, successful part, "I invitation His Holiness to proceed the important enactment of reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, particularly those who suffered the harms of residential schools. We indispensable proceed dialog connected galore issues including repatriation of ineffable First Nations items housed successful the Vatican."