BLACKSBURG, Va. – A new chapter is underway for the Catholic Church, as many are calling the election of Pope Leo XIV a historic moment. The newly elected pope is the first to be born in the United States.
“It’s a moment that has never happened in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church: the election of a pope born in the United States,” Marsh reported from Blacksburg, where she talked with students at the Catholic campus ministry about what this historic day means.
For many students, this is the first papal election they have truly experienced. The last election occurred over a decade ago, in 2013, when most were very young. Now, they are witnessing history unfold in real time, and it feels more personal than ever.
Isabel Reinitz, a junior at Virginia Tech, said, “Being the first American pope, I think Leo XIV is really going to help with the revival of the Catholic faith that’s going on right now in the U.S. with all the young adults who are really interested. I think it’s going to be really good.”
Others found the moment both surprising and meaningful, especially after attempting to predict the outcome themselves.
John McGraw, a freshman student at Virginia Tech, shared, “We actually made a bracket and were kind of deciding who’s going to be it. We took a look at it and thought, no way. None of us had an American anywhere near where it was supposed to be. To hear that he was an American, we just couldn’t believe it. Everyone was in shock.”
McGraw added, “I just think it’s going to bring a new experience, something we’ve never seen before. Everything that happens in the Church in terms of the election is a positive thing, so whether or not it’s a North American or South American, it’s just all positive at this point.”
For students at Virginia Tech, Pope Leo XIV represents more than just a new leader; he symbolizes a new chapter in the global Church, with a deep connection right here in the U.S.