JACKSON, Mich — White smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel on Thursday, signaling Robert Prevost — an American — has been voted Pope Francis's successor to lead the Catholic Church. I was hearing from Catholic neighbors in Jackson about their reactions.
- Timothy Nelson, Pastor at St. Mary, Star of the Sea Catholic Church, was in Rome when Pope Francis died, and was celebrating Mass in Jackson when we learned a new pope had been chosen.
- Fr. Nelson was surprised that an American was chosen.
- Parishioner Richard Ellison says he liked Pope Francis and hopes the new pope is like him.
Matthew Anderson says he hopes the new pope will spread the gospel throughout the world.
WATCH THE VIDEO FOR MORE REACTIONS:
AMERICAN POPE: Jackson neighbors react
Father Timothy Nelson is the Pastor at St. Mary, Star of the Sea Parish in Jackson. And he just happened to be in Rome when the world learned that Pope Francis had died.
"I was in St. Peter's Square when they were transferring his body. They were transferring it in the casket up the main steps into St. Peter's Basilica," said Nelson.
Your Fox 47 Senior Reporter, Danny Valle, talked with Nelson during that trip.
And with Nelson back in our Jackson neighborhood, I wanted to follow up with him now that a new pope has been chosen.
"We need to bring Christ to the world, but we need to bring clarity of doctrine — clarity of teaching. I hope that's what this new Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, does," said Nelson.
Nelson was celebrating Mass here in Jackson on Thursday when Pope Leo XIV was elected. He says he's surprised an American — a Midwesterner, no less — was chosen.
"I thought it would be an African pope, maybe. Because the Church in Africa is so strong," said Nelson. "This new Pope, Leo the XIV, was born in Chicago in 1955, but he spent many years as a priest and missionary in South America — in Peru — and is a Peruvian citizen.
And, just after mid-day Mass Thursday in Jackson, I talked with neighbors after we learned there is a new pope, but before we knew who had been chosen.
"I think it's great that we got one so soon," said Parishioner Richard Ellison. He showed me photos of a Papal Mass he attended not long ago in Rome, and talked with me about the late Pope Francis.
"He was a people person. He was generous to everybody….one of the best ones we've had for a long time, I guess. So, I just hope he's like that one," said Ellison.
I also spoke with Matthew Anderson, Headmaster and Found of Chesterton Academy of St. George — a new Catholic school in Jackson.
He told me about his hopes for the Church's new leader.
"I'm really hoping for someone who can evangelize and spread the message of Jesus Christ to the world and bring the truth of the gospel into the darkness," said Anderson.
Talking with my neighbors during a moment in history about some of their hopes for the future.
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