When Carolyn called in to The Patrick Madrid Show, she asked a question that’s been on a lot of minds lately: Is Pope Leo XIV considered the first American Pope? And was his election meant to boost the Catholic faith in the U.S.?
Fr. Simon’s response? Let’s not overthink it. The Cardinals didn’t elect Cardinal Robert Prevost because he’s from Chicago or as a strategic move to influence American Catholics. They elected him because they knew and trusted him.
“They knew what they were getting. And what they were getting was a man who bows at the name of Jesus,” Fr. Simon said, emphasizing that it was Pope Leo’s deep love for Christ that made him stand out.
Fr. Simon humorously ridiculed the obsession with national labels. Yes, Pope Leo XIV is from Chicago’s South Side, speaks fluent Midwestern English, and spent years serving the poor in Peru. But does that make him the “American Pope”?
Not exactly. Fr. Simon reminded listeners that the papacy and the Church transcend nationality.
“We are citizens of heaven, not defined by earthly borders,” he said. There is no “American Catholic Church,” only Catholics in America. “Catholic” means universal, so our identity is not tied to any particular country or political agenda.
Fr. Simon wrapped up his reflections with a touch of humor:
“He’s from the South Side. He probably roots for the Sox. And maybe the Bears. I served in Puerto Rican parishes most of my life. Does that make me Puerto Rican? No, it made me more German somehow.”
In other words, the Church isn’t about labels, borders, or PR strategies. It’s about faith, love, and leading people to Christ.
