HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Cardinal Robert Prevost has been elected as the first American pope in history, taking the name Pope Leo XIV. The announcement came as white smoke billowed from the Vatican's Sistine Chapel, signaling to the world that a new pontiff had been chosen.
The historic moment resonated with Catholics across the globe, including students at Pope Saint John Paul II Preparatory School in Hendersonville, who gathered to witness the announcement.
"All the students here got called into our auditorium, and we watched on the big screen up there. It's really, really cool," said Greyson Calogne, a senior.
It was history in the making.
"Being able to watch it happen is just really, really a big moment, because it doesn't happen, it hopefully doesn't happen too often in my life. And so, getting to watch it was really amazing," said John Lewis McLeod.
Students and staff at the school, commonly known as JPII, watched together as the white smoke emerged from the Sistine Chapel, announcing the selection of the first American Holy Father.
"I was shocked," said senior Erin Rieck. "I was not expecting it at all. But yeah, it's really exciting making history live."
Pope Leo XIV was born in the United States and worked as a missionary in Peru before rising through the church hierarchy from bishop to cardinal, and now to pope.
"Our community is 50% Catholic, 50% non-Catholic, and what I really loved about the Pope's message today was this message of solidarity and unity and the fact that we should all be one," said Emily Clavin, community development manager.
Teachers and staff at JPII viewed the papal election as an invaluable educational opportunity for their students.
"The hope is, you know, they'll be able to look back on today 10, 20, 30 years from now, and remember that time when they were gathered as a community, united with each other in our JPII family, living this moment of history together," said Joshua Strope, the head of the theology department and the director of Campus Ministry.
For those in the priesthood, the election brought particular excitement.
"It's great to be able to see somebody who is still human at the end of the day. That is something that I try to do in my role here as chaplain at JPII," said Father Chukwunonso Ohanaka. "And I see it in a lot of the priests around my seat and our bishop, and I think it's something that he can definitely live up to."
The historic papal election created a teaching moment these students will likely remember for years to come.
This story was reported and written by a Kelsey Gibbs and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Cole is a person I think everyone should meet. After saving his sister's life, he's in a fight for his own. And yet he lives so joyfully, performing on stage and continuing to do what he loves. His family's story will both inspire you and make you reflect on your own. Click if you want to watch one of the most impressive young men in action, determined to write the lines of his own story despite the circumstances.
-Rebecca Schleicher
