Chicago – Pope Leo XIV was elected on Thursday, succeeding the late Pope Francis. He is a priest from Augustine and has deep ties to the Chicago area, particularly to Augustine High School.
There was palpable excitement on the south side of Chicago as locals celebrated having their own in such a prominent position in the global Catholic community. Cardinal Robert Francis Prevast is now the first American pope in the Catholic Church’s 2,000-year history.
Father Thomas McCarthy has known Prevost for nearly 40 years, having met back in 1983.
“I know Bob, the Augustine of America,” McCarthy remarked. “We know who he is, and the world is eager to learn more about him. He’s genuinely a good, down-to-earth person.”
Interestingly, they had exchanged emails just a day before the conclave began.
“Every few days, I’d say, ‘Bob, I’m praying for you and the Cardinals,'” he recounted. “He always replied, ‘Thank you, keep praying.’
Currently, McCarthy serves as the director of Community Outreach at Senrita High School.
When the announcement was made on Thursday, the classrooms at Augustine High School erupted in joy, echoing the celebration happening in St. Peter’s Square in Rome. Prevost had also worked as a substitute teacher at St. Rita several years back.
For everyone connected to McCarthy, and for those who once called him “Bob,” there’s a shared sense of pride in what this means for the church coming from the Second City.
“He really is the son of Chicago,” Donohue added.
