Pope Leo XIV had an initial one-word response when asked by a reporter on Monday if he had a message for his native United States. It left observers wondering if the pontiff would soon have more to say about President Donald Trump’s policies.

"I hope to be able to respond to [the challenges] with a healthy dialogue," said Cardinal Robert Prevost in 2023.

A bit later the pontiff added, “God bless you all.” The brief exchange, captured by NewsNation correspondent Robert Sherman as the pontiff made his way through a crowd at the Vatican on Monday, was just one of several viral moments from Leo XIV’s public debut.

As Pope Leo XIV settles into his new job in the Vatican, Catholics everywhere continue to celebrate, including in the La Grange area.

Political figures around the world have congratulated Robert Francis Prevost, now known as Pope Leo XIV, after his election on Thursday, May 8, as Pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church. Hailing from Chicago and a dual U.

In his first “Urbi et Orbi” (To the City and to the World), the new pope, Leo XIV, opened with Latin to send greetings of peace, then switched to Italian for most of his public address, with a short detour in Spanish to send special greetings to the Peruvian diocese of Chiclayo,

Donald Trump has implied that he was involved in the election of Pope Leo XIV, who was born in Chicago, as the new pope.

Standing on loggia of St. Peter’s basilica, newly elected Pope Leo XIV smiled, waved and appeared to hold back emotion May 8 as he introduced himself to the world as the 266th successor to St. Peter – the first American to hold that role. His first words: “Peace be with you!”