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On Friday, Pope Leo XIV celebrated his first mass as the leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Roman Catholics.

Leo stunned the world Thursday by becoming the first American-born pope. The move shocked but thrilled Catholic leaders like Twin Cities Catholic Archbishop Bernard Hebda — who said he 

never thought he’d see an American pope

“The last Leo was the pope who really did the most, I think, to promote the social teaching of the church, which was certainly something that was near and dear to Pope Francis’s heart,” Hebda told news media. 

“So the fact that he chose Leo would suggest that that’s going to be really important for him, and I think that’s what we were hearing in his opening comments today.”

Speaking with MPR News host Cathy Wurzer, the Rev. Joe Gillespie of the Church of St. Albert the Great in south Minneapolis, agreed with Hebda. 

He said he viewed Pope Leo’s words — and inclusion of the phrase “synodality” — as an invitation.

“We would see it as more the kind of democratic invitation, rather than autocratic stuff that sometimes can easily get in the way,” Gillespie said.

Press play above to listen to Gillespie’s conversation with Wurzer.

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MPR News host Cathy Wurzer spoke with the Rev. Joe Gillespie of the Church of St. Albert the Great in Minneapolis.

MPR News host Cathy Wurzer spoke with Father Joe Gillespie of the Church of St. Albert the Great in Minneapolis.

Minneapolis priest: Pope Leo poised to continue mission of Pope Francis

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