Local religious leaders laud Pope Leo XIV's 'spiritual gifts'
As American-born Pope Leo XIV began his first full day as leader of the Roman Catholic Church on May 9, leaders of the Catholic community in Palm Beach County reacted with a mix of surprise over his selection and optimism for the future of his papacy.
Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, 69, a Chicago native, was elected May 8 as the 267th pope, assuming the name of Pope Leo XIV, and becoming the first pope in history from the United States. He succeeds Pope Francis, who died April 21 after leading the church for 12 years.
In a statement released by the Catholic Diocese of Palm Beach, Bishop Gerald M. Barbarito praised the choice of Leo to lead the world's more than 1 billion Catholics. He described the selection of a pope from the United States as unexpected.
More: Pope Leo XIV to face decisions on choosing bishops in Florida, Trump's home state
"With so many others, I was convinced that the choice of a Pope from the United States would be most unlikely, but it seems that Pope Francis, from heaven, has given us another surprise. I am delighted by the choice of this man, who possesses so many spiritual gifts, pastoral competency, and linguistic talents," Barbarito said.
Barbarito, who has led the Diocese of Palm Beach since 2003, praised Leo's work in Peru, where Leo spent many years as a missionary and served as a cardinal, and his leadership in various roles at the Vatican. Despite the new pope's American roots, Barbarito said he believes Leo's influence will be global.
"He is a Pope for all Catholics all over the world," he said. "There is no question that Pope Leo XIV will serve with the same zeal, effectiveness, and holiness that so many of our recent extraordinary Popes exhibited within our times."
Bryan Froehle, a professor of sociology and religious studies at Palm Beach Atlantic University, said Leo's background will allow him to embody the vision of being pastoral and engaging the whole church, and of leading with a missionary spirit.
"In many ways, he represents the hemisphere, not simply one country," Froehle said, noting Leo's dual U.S. and Peruvian citizenships. "He also reflects the reality of our life here in South Florida where we are proudly bilingual."
Froehle noted a connection between Leo and Francis, but said it is too soon to know how the new pope's leadership will compare to his predecessor's. Francis called Leo to the Vatican in 2023 to serve as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, which recommends candidates for bishop and cardinal positions across the world.
"Everyone is unique," Froehle said. "But I can tell you one thing. He was well known to Francis. He was specifically invited by Francis, and asked by Francis, to move from a very happy space where he was, serving and leading the people in a remote local church in Peru, to give that up and take on the service to lead the Dicastery ... Pope Francis saw that he was the kind of the person who would have the vision for what church leadership is about."
Froehle also said Leo's work within the church makes him well-suited to face modern challenges.
"He is someone who very much understands the challenges of the contemporary church," he said, "That is to say that we live in a time of transition. This is of course true of the church, but it's true of the world."
Leo's selection also drew praise from leaders from other religious faiths. Rabbi Alan Bell of Temple Beth El in West Palm Beach lauded Leo's commitment to social justice.
"As the first America- born pontiff, his election marks a historic moment in the Church's journey," Bell said in a statement. "Pope Leo's commitment to social justice, compassion and unity reflects the values of Torah and needs of our current world situation."
Julius Whigham II is a criminal justice and public safety reporter for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jwhigham@pbpost.com and follow him on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @JuliusWhigham. Help support our work: Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Religious leaders greet selection of Pope Leo XIV with optimism
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