‘It’s God’s will’: Fil-Ams celebrate selection of first American pope
Newly elected Pope Leo XIV appears at the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican, Thursday, May 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
VATICAN CITY – Many Filipino Americans who were hoping for Cardinal Luis Tagle to become the next pope have embraced the selection of Cardinal Robert Prevost, the first American leader of the Catholic Church.
Prevost, 69, was chosen as the new Pope on the second day of the conclave of 133 cardinals from around the world at the Vatican.
Fil-Am businessman Alex Baguilod, who was visiting the Vatican from Washington, D.C., to witness the conclave, said he expected Tagle to become the new pontiff, but found the cardinals’ decision to pick Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, to be a pleasant surprise.
“Ang reaction ko sa bagong Pope ay maganda kasi nga first American Pope. Surprise ito. Akala natin si Tagle. (My reaction to the new Pope is positive. Because he is the first American Pope. This is a surprise. We thought it would be Tagle),” Baguilod told Inquirer.net.
Alex Baguilod/Photo by Elton Lugay
“It’s God’s will I guess. Ang gusto ng Panginoon ay iba. I expect great things from Pope Leo (God had a different plan. I expect great things from Pope Leo),” he added. “Hopefully, he’ll do great things not just for Catholics but for everyone.”
Pope Leo will replace Pope Francis, who died April 21 at age 88 after serving as pope for 12 years.
Carmelo Delfino, who was visiting from Honolulu, Hawaii, said Cardinal Tagle becoming the pope would have been “a source of (Filipino) pride,” but he welcomed the selection of Prevost.
Carmelo Delfino/Photo by Elton Lugay
Delfino said he hopes for Pope Leo to continue the legacy of Pope Francis and the initiatives that he had started.
Chris Labaco, a concert promoter from New York who rooted for Tagle, hailed the selection of Prevost.
“For me, whoever the new Pope is, I will respect him. As a Catholic devotee, it is our duty and obligation to support the new leader so he can fulfill God’s mission during his term,” Labaco said. “I pray for and wish the Pope strength and wisdom.”
Melody Garcia, a motivational speaker from Florida, said the selection of Prevost was unexpected and “would be fascinating to observe.”
“It’s going to be interesting, with a new pope being American, with more conservative views from what I’ve read, especially regarding his stance on homosexuality and immigration,” Garcia said.
Dinnah San Pedro, a retired nurse and newspaper publisher from the San Francisco Bay Area, has embraced Prevost as the new pope, saying, “we don’t always win, just like in beauty pageants.”
US Navy veteran Donny de Leon said he appreciated that Pope Leo “shares a deep connection with Pope Francis and advocates for compassion and inclusivity.”
“Based on his comments, he is not a supporter of divisive figures like Trump and Vance,” de Leon said. “His leadership promises to inspire hope and unity during these challenging times. May God bless him.”
Meanwhile, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, with tens of thousands of Filipino American parishioners, quickly noted the selection of the new pontiff, posting on social media, “LA Catholics give thanks to God for His Holiness Pope Leo XIV.”
