U.S. bishops recount year since Pope Leo XIV’s election

U.S. bishops marked the first anniversary of Pope Leo XIV’s election by recalling the moment they learned he had been chosen, describing their reactions in a video message.

“When we were watching the white smoke come out of the chimney at the Vatican, the last thing that any of us were thinking of as we were watching on TV back in Chicago was that there would be a native of Chicago who was elected the Holy Father,” Auxiliary Bishop Robert Lombardo of Chicago said in a May 7 video message marking Pope Leo XIV’s first anniversary as pope.

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The message also included testimonies from Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Springfield, Illinois; Bishop Ronald Hicks of New York; Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago; Bishop Paul Etienne of Seattle; Archbishop Mitchell Rozanski of St. Louis; Auxiliary Bishop Christopher Cooke of Philadelphia; Bishop Douglas Lucia of Syracuse, New York; Bishop Robert McClory of Gary, Indiana; and Bishop Michael Barber, SJ, of Oakland, California.

Several bishops recalled their shock at learning the new pope was an American.

“When I heard of Pope Leoʼs election, I couldnʼt believe it. I really had to do a double take because conventional wisdom has been that there will never be a pope from the United States,” Rozanski said.

“I remember my reaction to his election being one of surprise because everybody said, ‘Well, it could never be an American,’” Lucia said. “So when his name was announced, I was actually in a diocesan admin meeting and everybody said, ‘Whoʼs that?’ And I go, ‘Itʼs an American.’”

McClory described his reaction as “a tremendous kind of excitement and joy” and echoed his brother bishops, saying: “Never in my lifetime did I think we would have a pope from the United States. I just didn’t think it was a possibility.”

Bishop William Byrne of Springfield, Massachusetts, recalled “flying home” from the grocery store when he heard the news that a new pope had been elected, and that he “was so excited” when he made it to his computer to watch the results. 

“Being from Chicago, we also have a double sense of pride,” Cupich said. “After all, we like to say that Chicago produced a pope, and that we take great pride in.”

Leo was elected as the 267th pope of the Roman Catholic Church on May 8, 2025.