The New Pope is American

Breaking News (05.08.25)

I don’t think anyone, including me, expected an American to be elected as the new pope. Earlier today, the conclave in Rome announced that Chicago-born Robert Francis Prevost would become Pope Leo XIV.

Even Prevost’s brother described it as “shocking.”

As with anything, it’s too early to say whether this surprising election aligns with any particular end-times prophecy. But I do want to point out a few things that have grabbed my attention.

First, Prevost hasn’t said much about many of the social issues that are currently dividing the Catholic church. Pope Francis tended to take a more progressive stance toward certain cultural issues, and he appointed around 80 percent of the cardinals who chose his successor. I know there are deep divides between traditionalist and progressive sides of the Catholic Church, but it stands to reason that most of the cardinals would have leaned in the direction of Pope Francis. The quickness of their decision makes me suspect they wanted to elect a new pope to carry on some of his reforms.