Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh bishop shocked that an American was elected as new pope

PITTSBURGH — For the first time in the Catholic Church’s history, an American, Cardinal Robert Prevost of Chicago, was elected as the newest Pope.

Channel 11’s Andrew Havranek spoke with Pittsburgh Bishop David Zubik after Pope Leo XIV was introduced to the world.

Photos: Conclave elects new pope

“What was your initial reaction to finding out?” Havranek asked.

“Shock. In fact, we were involved in a meeting and when the announcement came, everybody started laughing at me because they said you’re really shocked!” Zubik said. “And I was shocked because I believed that taboo that an American could never be elected as pope.”

Zubik said he wasn’t surprised a pope was elected so early in the conclave process, because Wednesday’s first vote seemed to take a long time.

But he said he feels the cardinals took a clear path for the church.

“It seems to me that the cardinals chose the surprise choice,” Zubik said. “It seems to me there’s a clear indication they thought it was well to continue the legacy of Pope Francis.

Before being elected pope, Cardinal Robert Prevost was a missionary with dual citizenship in the USA and Peru. He was born in Chicago in 1955, and was even a graduate of Villanova University — right here in Pennsylvania.

“That’s really exciting,” Zubik said. “I have a grand niece who is in Villanova now and she texted me and said ‘do you think he’ll come and speak at my graduation?’”

Havranek asked Zubik what impact the first pope from the United States will have on the Catholic Church here at home.

“I’m gonna guess maybe not as major as we think, and I’ll say that for this reason, he did not say anything in English,” Zubik said. “He spoke in a language that would be common for popes to speak, and I think he wanted to give the clear message, I think, by not speaking English, that he’s a pope for the entire church.”

And while the bishop said we will learn more about Pope Leo XIV’s agenda in the coming days, weeks, and months, there is some indication of the direction he will lead based on his papal name.

“We can learn a lot from the name that he chose. Leo XIII was one of the greatest popes,” Zubik said. “It says something about the need to make sure that we not only pay attention to, but really respond and serve people who society’s put on the fringes.

Bishop Zubik also said he wouldn’t be surprised if many parents at baptism and those being confirmed in the church choose the name Leo in the coming years.

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