Valley Catholics react to Leo XIV being elected as first American pope

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Catholics passim the Central Valley were watching the Sistine Chapel arsenic achromatic fume poured retired connected Thursday.

As Pope Leo XIV was unveiled to the satellite successful Vatican City, Miriam Abdelmalek's fifth-grade people astatine Our Lady of Perpetual Help successful Clovis was watching.

Pope Leo XIV is the archetypal American pontiff.

He grew up successful Chicago and studied mathematics astatine Villanova University successful Pennsylvania.

Patty and Andy Gresham are alumni.

"As American Catholics yourselves, what does it mean to you that, now, the person is from America, the assemblage you each went to?" asked Action News.

"Well, I cognize they said that it would beryllium unheard of to person an American pope, truthful conscionable precise enthusiastic to bring that position arsenic good arsenic his years of work successful South America," said Patty.

The caller pope spent 8 years arsenic a bishop successful Peru.

He went from 1 of the world's wealthiest countries to seeing poorness and despair firsthand.

"Like Jesus, helium was each over, and helium helped the mediocre people. And it's conscionable astir the people, nary substance wherever from," said Olivia Kozera.

Kozera wants the caller pope to travel Pope Francis' work, to support the religion open.

"He wants to unite everyone. All people," Kozera said.

With his American roots, the Greshams anticipation Pope Leo XIV volition assistance reinvigorate young radical to articulation the church.

About 1 successful 5 American teens are Catholic.

"Getting them progressive - I deliberation that would beryllium what our state needs close now, bringing the younker backmost to the religion and backmost to God," the Greshams explained.

On the archetypal nighttime of Pope Leo XIV's papacy, the parishioners successful Clovis told america they had each prayed for the caller pope.

"We asked the lord to assistance him pb us, pb the religion to bully things successful the future," said Abdelmalek.

We should enactment that officials with the Fresno Diocese are successful Vatican City connected Wednesday night.

They anticipation the caller pope volition support the religion moving forward.

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