Bishop Stephen Hero was surprised at how little time it took to select a new Pope, but was happy with the decision.
Hero and other Roman Catholic Clergy from Saskatchewan were on a five-day prayer retreat when the Vatican announced Pope Leo XIV as the new Pope.
“We knew the conclave was scheduled for the seventh day of May, so we scheduled to pray for that,” Hero said. “We were ready for that, and were quite surprised when the next day we already had some news. We rearranged our schedule a little bit and made sure we could all watch the announcement together. Then we celebrated Mass a little bit later, so it was good timing. There was a lot of excitement among the clergy.”
Prior to his election as Pope Leo XIV, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops. He is 267th Bishop of Rome.
His emergence as the new Pope, has also created history as the first Augustinian Pope and the first North American Pope, though he spent many years doing his ministry in Peru where he became a Bishop.
Hero said Pope Leo was not among the prominent Cardinals everyone was talking about as possible replacements for Pope Francis, so his selection was a bit of a surprise. However, he is confident Pope Leo is the right choice.
“It was a surprise for me,” Hero said. “I never thought we’d have a Pope from the United States, for example. When you think about it, he almost is another South American Pope because he spent a good portion of this life doing ministry in Peru.
“I think God always seems to provide someone that we need, even if it wasn’t the person the people that were speculating may have thought was in the running,” Hero added. “When the selection is made with discernment, then you see how actually, when you look at his gifts, he seems to be the right person for the time.”
Hero said the United States has the largest Catholic population out of the English-speaking world, which is particularly significant. However, he said Pope Leo has worked with the poor in South America, so he understands the experience of hardship and poverty.
He also said Leo’s fluency with several languages makes him well-suited to the role.
“It makes him a person who is well-suited and sensitive to the needs of persons in other cultures, not just the one he grew up in,” Hero said.
Hero added that reaction to the new Pope seems positive in Prince Albert. Already, he said, there is a lot of excitement, but he doesn’t expect much to change.
“We’re very sad, of course, when the Pope passes away. There were people who loved Pope Francis very much, and there was some sadness there, but there’s excitement when we have a new shepherd,” Hero said. “He (Pope Leo) helps keep us together in unity, so everyone is looking to him as a centre of unity in the church and what he has to offer, his teaching and guidance for sure,” Hero added. “I’ve seen a lot of enthusiasm. Already, people are impressed.”
