A Shepherd from Our Soil: Rejoicing in Pope Robert Prevost’s Election
When word reached our small parish that Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost had been elected the next Pope, I stood in the center aisle of St. Matthew’s, momentarily breathless. The choir loft above me was silent, the candles on the altar flickering gently, and in that stillness, I felt something shift—not just in Rome, but here, in the soul of America.
For the first time in the Church’s 2,000-year history, a son of the United States had been called to sit on the Chair of St. Peter. Pope Robert, born in Chicago and raised in the heart of American Catholicism, now walks in the footsteps of the fishermen-turned-shepherd from Galilee. And I, a simple parish priest from Ohio, can only echo the joy that ripples through our people: Deo gratias—thanks be to God.
A Humble Beginning, A Global Mission
Pope Robert Prevost’s story isn’t gilded in pageantry—it’s grounded in service. Born in 1955 on the South Side of Chicago to a devout Catholic family of modest means, he joined the Augustinian order early in life, seeking not status, but mission. That spirit would carry him far beyond American borders—to Peru, to Rome, and now, to the papacy itself.
What moves me most as a priest is how Pope Robert has always seen the Church not as an institution to manage, but as a family to serve. His missionary work in Peru was not about titles—it was about presence. He lived among the poor, walked dusty roads to visit the sick, and listened—really listened—to the cries of a people often forgotten. That is not only Christ-like—it is Christ.
He Preaches with His Life
Jesus told us plainly in Matthew 23:11, “The greatest among you must be your servant.” Pope Robert Prevost lives that Gospel call. Before he was ever a cardinal, before he was appointed Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, he was a priest who saw Christ in the broken, the poor, the outsider. He didn't lead from behind a desk; he led by washing feet.
His entire ministry reflects what we as clergy so often preach on Sundays: that greatness in the Kingdom of God is measured not by authority, but by how deeply we love and serve. In Pope Robert, we find not a ruler draped in power, but a servant clothed in humility.
When I heard his first remarks as Pope, I was struck by his calm, clear call for healing and reconciliation—especially in a world frayed by division, violence, and suspicion. He spoke softly, but every word carried the weight of lived conviction. Like Jesus before Pilate, he didn’t posture—he simply bore witness to the truth.
American Roots, Catholic Heart
There is something undeniably special about having a Pope who grew up walking the same sidewalks, hearing the same school bells, and praying in the same pews as many of us. But Pope Robert is not the Pope of America—he is the Pope from America, and that distinction matters.
He brings with him not nationalism, but perspective—a pastoral understanding of the American Church’s challenges: secularism, political polarization, racial division, and the erosion of trust in institutions. He knows what it means to preach the Gospel in a land that both treasures freedom and wrestles with spiritual apathy. And in knowing this, he can guide the global Church with empathy, not arrogance.
Pope Robert also embodies the best of our nation’s spiritual heritage: the belief in the dignity of every person, the call to build community across difference, and the courage to speak truth with clarity and compassion. These aren’t partisan ideals—they’re Gospel values in American skin.
A Pope for the Margins
One of the most poignant things I’ve heard from Pope Robert came not from a speech, but from a story told by one of his former students in Latin America. She described how, during a time of civil unrest, he refused to leave his parish—even when others had fled. He said, simply, “A shepherd does not abandon his flock.”
That phrase has echoed in my heart ever since. It reminds me of Jesus, who ate with tax collectors, defended the woman caught in adultery, and touched the leper others would not even approach. This is the kind of priest Pope Robert has always been. This is the kind of Pope he now becomes.
He does not lecture from on high—he walks among the people. He does not seek applause—he seeks the lost. That, my brothers and sisters, is the Gospel made flesh in our day.
Guiding a Fractured World
The Church enters this new pontificate at a time of upheaval. War darkens many corners of the world. Economic injustice threatens human dignity. Families are fraying under the weight of social confusion. And within our own Church, there are wounds—of abuse, of division, of silence where there should have been courage.
And yet, I believe that Pope Robert Prevost has been chosen for such a time as this.
His background in forming bishops will be critical in shaping leaders of integrity and courage. His fluency in multiple cultures and languages will help him build bridges in an increasingly global and yet divided world. And most importantly, his faith—a faith forged not in comfort but in mission—will serve as a compass for all of us seeking to follow Christ through stormy seas.
A Personal Reflection
As a priest who has served in both urban parishes and rural chapels, I have long prayed for a shepherd who sees the sacred in the ordinary. Pope Robert sees it.
He sees Christ in the fieldworker and the stockbroker, in the single mother and the wounded addict, in the seminarian and the doubting teenager. And he reminds us that the Church is not a museum of saints but a field hospital for sinners.
Since his election, I’ve seen a renewed spark in the eyes of my parishioners. Teens have asked if the Pope might one day visit the U.S. Seniors have wept during Mass at the thought of “one of us” being chosen. And for the first time in a long time, I see hope rising—not because we believe our problems are gone, but because we believe our Shepherd understands them.
Following Christ Together
In the Gospel of John, Jesus tells Peter three times: “Feed my sheep.” Those words are now entrusted to Pope Robert. And if his life is any indication, he will answer that call with the same integrity, tenderness, and courage that has guided him all along.
As an American, I am proud. As a priest, I am deeply moved. As a Catholic, I am hopeful.
We do not worship the Pope—we follow Jesus Christ. But in Pope Robert, we see a man conformed to Christ: not perfectly, but sincerely. And that sincerity is what the world needs.
So let the bells ring. Let the prayers rise. And let the Church walk forward with confidence. We have a new shepherd—formed by America, forged in mission, faithful to Christ.
Viva il Papa. Thanks be to God.
