Keely Reardon of Chicago kneels with her hands clasped at Holy Name Cathedral, Thursday, May 8, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)2025-05-08T22:27:28Z CHICAGO (AP) After white smoke billowed Thursday from the Sistine Chapel, signaling that a pope had been chosen, students in every classroom at The Frances Xavier Warde School in Chicago had their eyes glued to TV screens.As the image of the new pope, Chicago native Cardinal Robert Prevost, appeared onscreen, cheers erupted through the hallways. Children jumped out of their seats, pumping their hands in the air.Our students are just beside themselves, said Mary Perrotti, director of advancement at the school. Theyre beyond excited and cant believe a Chicagoan is their new pope. They were in awe.Prevost, 69, took the name Leo XIV and replaced Pope Francis, who died last month. The first American elected pontiff, Pope Leo XIV was born and raised in Chicago before undertaking his ministry in Peru. Catholic Chicagoans gathered in churches and celebrated from their homes as the historic decision was announced. Our young people have a model now of a leader with justice and compassion at the heart of his ministries and who is from their home, Perrotti said. Its such a deep feeling of connection for them. Prevost was born in 1955 in the south side Chicago neighborhood of Bronzeville and grew up in suburban Dolton, where he attended Mass and elementary school at St. Mary of the Assumption.He later studied theology at the Catholic Theological Union of Chicago in Hyde Park and taught in local Catholic schools, including at St. Rita High School, according to the school. Linda Eickmann, 62, was also born and raised in Dalton and attended St. Marys. When she saw the news of the new pope on TV, she screamed with joy.How cool is that? she said. A pope from my elementary school, from my town. Its unreal.Eickmann remembered Prevosts family as being so deeply involved in the St. Marys community that everyone knew their names. They ran sloppy joe sales to raise money for the school, and all their sons were altar boys, including Prevost. Everyone at St. Marys knew Prevost wanted to be a priest one day, Eickmann said. Raul Raymundo, co-founder of a local community advocacy group called the Resurrection Project, said Thursday was a proud day for Chicagoans and hoped Pope Leo XIV will continue Pope Francis legacy and Chicagos legacy of social justice and compassion, especially in welcoming immigrants.Theres tears of joy, of hope, of motivation to rise to this moment and leave this world better than we found it, said Raymundo, an immigrant from Mexico who grew up in Chicagos Pilsen neighborhood.At Holy Name Cathedral, about two dozen people gathered to pray as light filtered in through the stained glass windows.Father Gregory Sakowicz, the cathedrals rector, said that when the new pope was announced, the sun came out in the city a coincidence that he described as Gods way of remaining anonymous. He said he was happily shocked, and that he had a burning question: Whether the new Pope was a White Sox fan?When a journalist in the crowd said shed heard Pope Leo XIV is a Cubs fan, Sakowicz chuckled. God bless him, he said. Social media also erupted with excitement over Pope Leo XIVs Chicago connection and people swapped memes and jokes about Chicago staples deep-dish and tavern-style pizza, the Chicago liqueur Malort and baseball. Many users also proclaimed hope the new pope would represent Chicagos history of social justice.For Catholic Chicagoans, to have a native son who has been born and raised in a city where support and care of all has always been central to who we are as a city, it really speaks volumes, Perrotti said. I truly believe his upbringing in Chicago informs his ministries, his compassion and sense of justice. Now, he can give the world a sense of who we are as a city. CHRISTINE FERNANDO Fernando is a democracy reporter covering misinformation, reproductive rights and state supreme courts for The Associated Press. twitter mailto MELINA WALLING Walling covers the intersections of climate change and agriculture in the Midwest and beyond for The Associated Press. She is based in Chicago. twitter instagram facebook mailto