For the first time in history, the Catholic Church has elected a pope who was born in the United States. Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, originally from Chicago, was announced Wednesday as the new pontiff, taking the name Pope Leo XIV.
The news sent ripples around the globe and sparked surprise and reflection locally, including among Catholic leaders in western Kentucky.
Bishop William Medley of the Diocese of Owensboro said he was stunned by the announcement.
“This is a surprise,” Medley said. “People always said there would never be an American-born pope, not while America is the dominant country in the world.”
While Pope Leo XIV was born and raised in Chicago, Medley noted that he has lived outside the United States for decades — primarily in South America, and more recently in Rome after being appointed to a significant Vatican post by Pope Francis.
One detail that stood out immediately to Medley was the choice of papal name.
“Leo is very significant,” he said. “Pope Leo XIII, at the turn of the 20th century, was seen as the father of the modern social justice movement. He was one of the first voices for workers’ rights, which helped lead to the rise of unions and broader social justice causes.”
Medley said the announcement was met with anticipation and emotion throughout the Diocese of Owensboro.
“I’d be willing to bet that in offices and schools all over the diocese, people were gathered like we were,” he said. “As soon as we heard ‘white smoke,’ people tuned in.”
Though he said he has not personally met the new pope, Medley acknowledged Pope Leo XIV was not widely seen as a likely candidate.
“When you’d hear the media or even insiders in the Church talk about who the favorites might be, his name was very remotely mentioned — if at all,” Medley said. “People would just discount it because they assumed they would never elect an American.”
The bishop also explained the papal selection process. The new pope was chosen by the College of Cardinals, a body of bishops from around the world appointed by previous popes. The cardinals gathered in the Sistine Chapel, locked in Conclave, and cast ballots until one candidate received a two-thirds majority — at least 89 out of 133 votes in this case.
“We don’t know yet which ballot elected him — it could have been the fourth or fifth,” Medley said. “Those details will come out in the days ahead.”
He emphasized that while the Church worldwide reflects on the change in leadership, local parishes will also adjust.
“At every Mass, we pray for our Holy Father,” Medley said. “Now, we all have to get used to saying Leo.”
Despite the surprise, Medley said the moment fills him with optimism.
“I feel great joy,” he said. “There are so many surprises, and the pieces will come together in the days to come.”
Pope Leo XIV succeeds Pope Francis, who was widely praised for his focus on compassion, inclusion, and care for the marginalized.
“Pope Francis’s voice meant so much to those on the fringe — immigrants, refugees, people no one else paid attention to,” Medley said.
The Church, Medley said, now enters a new chapter with a pope few expected, but one who may carry forward that same legacy.
