The US cardinals of the Roman catcha described the historic papal conclave that concluded this week as relatively easy, without contradiction of open arms or policies.
When his work was done, and while the outside world was waiting to learn the identity of the new Pope, the cardinals inside the Sistine Chapel “went crazy”, one recalled on Friday, when the man they had chosen told them privately that he would take the name.
That name, they said, could be an indication of the Pope’s plans.
“Leo was the first modern Pope, who spoke in defense of workers’ rights and what workers needed to have a fair salary, not only to support his family and EKE to build a heritage that Cowal Blase Jbbrilden said Chicago, which refers to Pope Leo XIII.
That Pope Leo wrote a historical papal document called Rerum Novarum in 1891, addressing the needs and dignity of the working class, which helped cause a social justice movement in the midst of the industrial revolution.
“It was the defense of the right to property so that people accumulate as much as they want, but for poor people who had no property as heritage to transmit,” said Cardinal Cupich.
The problems of workers’ rights, immigration and bridges in divisions seem to be taking shape as the problems that could define the legacy of Robert Francis Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV.
“We are going to listen more about this,” said Cardinal Cupich. “We could have a rerum Novarum 2.0.”
After they left Casa Santa Marta, the Vatican guest house, where six cardinals from the United States declared themselves on stage in the Pontifical North American College on Friday afternoon and sat on red velvet chairs to speak publicly together for the first time since the election of the first American Pontiff. He joined a seventh cardinal, Christophe Pierre, the ambassador of the Holy See to the United States.
It was an extremely strange occasion, so many speakers of the main leaders of the US church in the same stage, or in the team agreement, a sign of the total singularity of this moment in the history of the American Catholic Church.
Just although Pope Leo XIV is the firstborn in the United States, the cardinals presented him as “a citizen of the entire world”, such as Cardinal Daniel N. Dinardo, Archbishop Emeritus or Galveston-Houstonton.
Within the conclave, the fact that he outside the United States was “almost insignificant” and “almost surprisingly”, so Cardinal Robert W. Mcelroy of Washington.
Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan or New York agreed. “I don’t think the fact that Cardinal Prevost out of the United States had a lot of weight,” he said.
When asked if the cardinals saw the election of an American Pope as an effort to establish a counterweight for President Trump, he demon it. “Would you like to build bridges to Donald Trump? I guess,” he said. “But I would do it because to build bridges with the leaders of any nation.”
When asked if they wanted President Trump to come to Rome for the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV, US cardinals stopped in letters. “Why not?” Cardinal Pierre, the ambassador, said jumping to silence.
Cardinal Dinardo expanded on the possible importance of the name Leo.
“I want to take him back to Leo the Great, because I live in the 5th century,” said Cardinal Dinardo. “Leo the Great was a Pope at the time the Church was really a disaster to deal with what was happening at the doors of the city of Rome.”
Leo the Great helped save the city, and at the same time “he preached to Christ crucified,” he said, and pointed out that they could both talk about social doctrine and preach the gospel.
Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin de Newark, NJ, remembered having thrown his ballot, taking it in front of the Sistine Chapel, holding it high and solemny by submitting it to God when the “last judgment” of Miguel Ángelo stirred.
He had met Cardinal Prevost for about 30 years, from his home in the United States and in his global mines. Now they were behind the closed doors of the most secret rooms in the world, with 131 classmates, including eight from their country of origin.
He looked for his friend around the tables.
“Take a look at Bob,” said Cardinal Tinbin, “and had his head in his hands.”
“I was praying for him, because he couldn’t imagine what happens to a human being when he faces something like that,” he said.
When 89 votes were reached, the room exploded in applause. “I just thank you yesterday, when it was my turn, to say yes to such an incredible responsibility,” said Cardinal Tinbin.
After leaving the Sistine Chapel, the cardinals made their way through the labyrinth of the Vatican’s halls, and Pope Leo XIV was on the balcony. Cardinal Cupich looked from the balcony to his left, feeling the hurry of the cheers from the crowds that extended to the Tiber.
“We could send some pizzas for him,” he said.
Soon, all the cardinals returned to Casa Santa Marta for a celebration meal. Then he roasted the new Pope, who went from table to table.
“Reaxy knew how to work the room,” said Cardinal Cupich.
Cardinal Wilton D. Gregory, Archbishop Emeritus of Washington and the first African -American cardinal, said that Cardinal Prevost had been involved “quite effectively” in the narrowest group discussions that the cardinals had had before voting. “It was that he got up and made this speech too convincing that simply captivated the body,” he said.
The seminarians who listen to the press conference on Friday at the Pontifical North American College mentioned how the last day of thanksgiving, Cardinal Prevost arrived at the Vatican hill to celebrate with them.
The deacon Gerard Gayou, 31, a Washington student who will be ordered next month, took a photo of the moment, finding that it was difficult to process that he had helped lead Mass with the new Pope.
“The most important thing is that we have a homemade pumpkin cake, which is difficult to find in Italy,” he said. They sent home with extra.
