About the election of first cardinal from USA

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OPINION

By Michael Kakooza

II Papa Americano!

The above exclamatory phrase was reportedly overheard among the Italian majority in St Peter’s Square following the revelation of the new pope’s identity.

Indeed, the election of a first cardinal from the USA to the papal office as Pope Leo XIV should elicit universal sentiments of surprise, delight and joy. Patriotic pride finds a respected place in Catholic sensibilities, though exclusivist sentiments of national exceptionalism constitute a deformation of the Catholic ethos. 

It can be argued that the election of an American pope drew forth an inordinate display of secular attentiveness to what are, technically, internal housekeeping matters of the Catholic Church.  In the contemporary world situation, where the geopolitical landscape is more than fairly saturated with the histrionics of US President Donald Trump, the election of an American pope would appear to some world watchers to verge on overkill.

Moreover, the recent papal election has taken place at a surreal moment in cinematic history when fact and fiction are bizarrely conflated. Just over seven months previously, in October 2024, the Edward Berger-directed $20 million budget film, Conclave, opened in US theatres, already grossing a worldwide total of $120 million as of 13 May 2025. 

The film, based on the novel by Robert Harris, is the latest in boilerplate American political thrillers, but with three critical differences: the first being the governance context, focus is on the Vatican halls of power rather than the Washington corridors; the second being sartorial, that is, ornate prelatial robes rather than dark sharp suits; and the third, integration of all woke issues to do with diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI).  The American film star, Stanley Tucci, does a stellar job portraying a progressive Cardinal Aldo Bellini.

The real-life election of Pope Leo XIV has driven large sections of the legacy media and social media into a frenzy of scenario-setting, debate, and contest of probabilities and predictions, all bordering on the absurd. 

During the interregnum, when the chair of St Peter was vacant, the name of the former Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, barely received a mention, since he did not appear to fall into any of the three discursive categories of Leftist (progressive), Rightwing (gradient from Conservative to Traditionalist), or Centrist (moderate). 

Vatican punditry was caught flatfooted and is now scrambling to put together and sell a coherent and persuasive narrative about the significance of the new pope. Investigations have revealed the former Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost to have been a Republican Party card-carrying member, who, however, did not shy away from criticising the immigration stance of President Trump.

Further, it has been widely alleged, from rather questionable sources, that the Trump Administration may have contributed to bolstering the Vatican in its financial troubles, which in turn may have made the majority of cardinals partial to the prospect of an American pope!

In their coverage of the new pope and its significance for the Church and the world, the secular media, and, also regrettably, a small section of the Catholic media, are chasing shadows by engaging with geopolitical, DEI, and localised American domestic issues.

Besides these secular concerns, the issue of continuity with the issues that are perceived to have been the hallmarks of the Francis pontificate is stressed, that is, climate change, LGBT recognition, and social justice. As Cardinal Mueller, the former Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, observed, a few days before the conclave: The future pope is not a successor of his predecessor but a successor of Peter”.

In all this media din, the voices of ordinary Catholics who are grateful to have a new pope are marginalised.  From a Catholic perspective, Pope Leo XIV is the 267^th successor of Saint Peter, whose core mandate is to serve as the centre of unity for the Church, preserve the integrity of doctrinal and moral teaching, and confirm the faith of Catholics (Matthew 16:18; John 21:17). 

The Church of Rome, as the mother Church of the Catholic world, has had popes from nearly every continent, presiding as bishops, and therefore being Pope of the Catholic Church. It is often forgotten that the first pope, St Peter, was a Galilean fisherman from today’s Palestinian sub-region in the Asian Near-East.

Africa, for its part, contributed three popes in the first five centuries of Church history, namely, Pope Victor I (AD 189-199), Pope Miltiades (AD 311-314), and Pope Gelasius (AD 492-496). Though for historical and geopolitical reasons, the majority of popes have been Italian, yet the varied national and racial background of the popes is reflective of the rich kaleidoscopic composition of the Universal Church as a supranational organisation.

It is important and humbling to take lessons from how the new Pope identifies himself.  Pope Leo XIV introduced himself to the Church and the world with the following statement: “I am a son of St Augustine, an Augustinian.” St Augustine (AD 354-430) is one of the Four Fathers of the Latin Church, the three others being St Ambrose, St Jerome, and St Gregory the Great. St Augustine was the bishop of the ancient city of Hippo in what is now present-day Algeria, and provided heroic leadership to the Church in Africa.

Further, in his self-introduction, Pope Leo XIV spoke in Italian, Latin and Spanish. The use of Italian demonstrates his cultural intelligence as the new bishop of Rome and primate of Italy, the use of Latin reflects pride in the linguistic heritage of the Church, and the use of Spanish not only draws attention to his longtime missionary service in Peru, but also to his Peruvian citizenship. 

His choice of the regnal name, Leo, is a tribute to thirteen of his predecessors of the same name, most prominent of whom are St Leo the Great (AD 440-461) and Pope Leo XIII (AD 1878-1903). The former pontiff was a great defender of the Catholic faith and Church in a time of political turbulence, not entirely dissimilar to our own.

The latter pope is rightly celebrated for his intellectual breadth, reinforcement of Catholic popular piety, and definition of Catholic social teaching. Secular media engagement with Leo XIII has tended to reduce him to a famous champion of social justice.

Catholics and all people of goodwill echo the following congratulatory statements of President Donald Trump on the election of Pope Leo XIV: It is such an honour to realise that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great honour for our Country.”

Patriotic pride is celebrated in the Church. Scenes of joy of the Polish nation, then still under the thrall of Soviet Communism, at the election of St John Paul II in 1978 remain unforgettable.

It is wonderful that today’s Church welcomes her new supreme shepherd from the Americas, one who is both a US citizen and a Peruvian Citizen. What is even more spiritually uplifting is the joy of Catholics from all nations at receiving a new Peter for our time.

Patriotic fervour always finds a respected place in Catholic sensibilities. National identity is honoured, as demonstrated amply in the flag-waving in St Peter’s Square. However, patriotism is secondary to being a member of the Church. Sentiments of national exceptionalism would constitute a deformation of the Catholic ethos.  We celebrate the Catholic Church in America, not an American Church.

Viva il Papa (Long Live Pope Leo XIV)