Bronxites were hopeful on Friday, the first full day of the papacy of Leo XIV, that the first American leader of the Catholic Church would prioritize a commitment to the poor and strengthen governance within the church.
Following the celebrations as white plumes of smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel, signaling the conclave’s election of Pope Leo XIV, the newest head of the Vatican addressed 1.4 billion Catholics, including roughly 2.5 million in New York City, from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica.
“Together, we must look for ways to be a missionary Church, a Church that builds bridges and encourages dialogue, a Church ever open to welcoming, like this Square with its open arms, all those who are in need of our charity, our presence, our readiness to dialogue and our love,” said Pope Leo.
Denis Sugrue, Chairperson of the Theology Department for Monsignor Scanlan High School in Throggs Neck, told the Bronx Times that the school was “elated” with the conclaves’s choice to succeed Pope Francis, who died on Easter Monday, calling him “devout” with a “universal appeal.”
“I think he will emphasize three cardinal virtues—faith, hope, and charity,” Sugrue said. “I believe the preferential option for the poor and the virtue of charity will be among the key themes he stresses most.”
The new Pontiff was born in Chicago but has also spent a significant portion of his life as a missionary and then as a bishop in Peru, where he became a naturalized citizen. He touched on his roots in South America by speaking in Spanish during his first address to the world.
Bronx leaders expressed hope that Americans would feel a special connection to the new pontiff. Council Member Amanda Farías, a lifelong Catholic and graduate of Preston High School—an all-girls Catholic school in Throggs Neck—told the Bronx Times she welcomed the election of Pope Leo.
“His appointment is a milestone that brings new hope and opportunity, especially for Catholics in the United States,” Farías said. “While he has big shoes to fill, I am eager to see his vision for our Church and how he will build on Pope Francis’s legacy.”
She said that she hoped Pope Leo continued the legacy of his predecessor, Pope Francis, who she said, “inspired hope in a generation seeking purpose through faith.”
Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson congratulated the newest leader of the faith in a social media post on X.
“As he begins this sacred journey, we pray his papacy will be marked by compassion, wisdom, and a deep commitment to unity, justice, and peace for people of all faiths,” Gibson said in her post.
Father Tulio Ramirez of the Church of Our Savior in Belmont hopes Pope Leo’s background as a missionary will shape and guide his papacy. Ramirez, who also served as a missionary in Peru, said he relates to the new pope’s experience in spreading the Church’s message.
“We are to be sent to the world, not just to establish buildings or organizations of the community, but also to proclaim the message of Jesus,” Ramirez said. “So, I think he would be able to support and to encourage that.”
Ramirez also said that he was encouraged by Pope Leo’s experience as a strong administrator and hoped that he could bring practical governance and global diplomacy to the Vatican State.
“I think he is going to give them, in his way, a balance of that administration and a pastoral approach, [with] charitable actions and, and maybe some speaking the truth to governments and to the leadership of the world,” Ramirez said.
