Bohden Esty-Lenon totally called it.
His religion class at Bishop Brady High School in Concord started Thursday with a writing prompt: Who do you think will be the next pope? Esty-Lenon, a senior from Canterbury, wrote “an American.”
He was in physics class when he learned he had guessed correctly.
“I was super pumped up, and I said, ‘God bless America,’ ” Esty-Lenon said. “And I played the national anthem. I was very happy to learn he was an American and a great man at that.”
One day after the historic election of the first U.S.-born pope, the news was still sinking in among Catholics in New Hampshire, the shock giving way to hope and excitement.
Gloria Zapiain, Catholic Formation Cabinet Secretary of the Diocese of Manchester, was at a Vatican watch party on Thursday when a cardinal appeared on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica to announce the conclave’s choice in Latin.
“When the cardinal deacon said ‘Robertum Franciscum,’ I almost fell out of my chair because I knew who it was,” she said.
Zapiain, who is still mourning the death of Pope Francis, said she’s heartened that Pope Leo XIV — a Chicago native named Robert Francis Prevost — is one of the former pontiff’s supporters.
“Pope Francis named him a cardinal just in February, so this is like . . . wow! This is tremendous.”
Bishop Brady senior Caleb Goldstein, of Bedford, shares not only his Catholic faith with Leo, but also a love of baseball. And while the new pope may root for the White Sox, Goldstein said that makes him relatable. He hopes others his age feel the same.
“I don't know if people understand how crazy this is, but it's very exciting, especially as someone who goes to a Catholic school in New Hampshire,” said Kiara Herrington, of Warner, a junior at Bishop Brady.
Faith — and the church’s leader — play a significant role in her life.
“The pope is someone that I always look toward if I am confused about my faith or if there's something that we really can't discuss on our own, or we really don't know where to look,” she said.
The ‘weight of the world’
Rev. Jerome Day led parishioners in prayer for the new pope during the noon Mass at St. Raphael Parish in Manchester on Friday.
In taking the name Leo, Day says the new pontiff is following the lead of two other revered popes who brought about social change: Leo the Great faced Attila the Hun and peacefully managed to stop him from warring on Italy, while Leo XIII was a noted advocate for workers’ rights in the late 19th century.
Pope Leo XIV, Day said, is in a unique position now as a global leader from a deeply divided nation.
“We have all kinds of different views, and we can be a little contentious in our country,” Day said. “I think he will probably find that . . . the USA is as challenging for him as any other part of the world, so we pray that he will do a good job and that the Holy Spirit will be with him.”
“I don’t think anyone expected him to be elected and it’s wonderful,” said congregant Peter Sullivan. “His message that Jesus is the song of God and ‘do not be afraid’ and ‘peace be with you’ — I think those are all things the world needs to hear.”
Enrique Ingram-Mendez, a junior at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, also wants to see Leo take a role in global affairs.
“I’d love to see a definitive stance on the migrant situation throughout all countries,” said Ingram-Mendez, who wants to see the church provide more sanctuary for migrants.
Bishop Brady freshman Cooper Albee from Pembroke said he and his mother talked about the “weight of the world” now bearing down on Leo. Albee believes the faith they share will bring Leo the strength to carry it.
“I saw this photo of him . . . standing and his eyes were sort of teary,” Albee said. In the picture, Leo held a cross. “That just seemed to me to be who he seems to be. He's trusting in his cross and in what he's been called to do.”
