The choice of an American as pope gives hope to young adult leaders in the Church

Rachel Levy and Cheyenne Johnson are young adult leaders in the archdiocese who believe the choice of Pope Leo XIV, an American, could re-energize young Americans about the Catholic faith and lead them into the Church. (Photo by John Shaughnessy)

By John Shaughnessy

After hearing the wonderful, shocking news of an American being elected as pope on May 8, Cheyenne Johnson and Rachel Levy quickly became excited about the potentially powerful impact that Pope Leo XIV could have on young adults across the United States.

“With Pope Francis, so many people from South America and Argentina related to him as ‘our pope,’ ” said Johnson, the Catholic campus minister at Butler University in Indianapolis, shortly after the announcement that Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, a native of Chicago, was elected on the fourth ballot by the cardinal electors. “In the same way, I can see and hope that a lot of young Americans will be able to relate to him, especially people from the Midwest.”

For Levy, the American connection is an opportunity to build on a recent trend that she has seen as the coordinator of young adult ministry in the archdiocese.

“I’ve heard that across the country and even in different countries that a lot of young adults are coming into the Church in larger numbers than in recent years,” Levy said. “I’m interested in seeing what happens in the U.S. now that we have a pope who is close to home, and what impact that may have.

“There’s a lot of hope to be had—especially having this first American pope—that there will be that link to allow people, especially young adults in the United States, to relate to the Church in a deeper way.”

The news about Pope Leo XIV came just 10 days before Johnson and Levy will take part in the 2025 National Eucharistic Pilgrimage across most of the United States.

The two young Indianapolis women are among the eight “perpetual pilgrims” who were selected from across the country to make the 3,300-mile pilgrimage, which leaves Indianapolis on May 18 and arrives in Los Angeles on June 22.

Amid their preparations for the pilgrimage, Johnson and Levy have experienced the sadness of Pope Francis’ unexpected passing on April 21 and the unexpected selection of Cardinal Prevost to be the next pope.

“I was shocked,” Johnson said. “I never thought I’d see an American pope. Historically, most popes have been from Europe, and then Pope Francis was from South America. I was hearing one of the commentators talk about how the 267th   successor to St. Peter is a son of the United States. Now to have an American as the head of the universal Church is incredible.”

Beyond the shock, Levy soon focused on the initial words and message that Pope Leo XIV shared after he was introduced from the balcony of the Vatican.

“I was watching the livestream with someone who was translating what he was saying, and the first thing the pope said to all the people of the Church was, ‘Peace be with you all,’ ” Levy noted.

“I’ve been sitting with that for the last couple of hours because peace has been a really big part of my thinking about the pilgrimage we’re about to go on. Peace has been a really big factor in my devotion to the Eucharist, and how it’s grown a lot in the past year—how I’m finding a deep sense of peace when I’m in the presence of the Eucharist.

“I have a deep desire for the people in my life—and anyone else I encounter—to have that deep peace that I have found by just being in the presence of the Lord.”

Levy even wrote those words, “Peace be with you all” on the dry-erase board leading into her office.

“For the pope to start out with ‘Peace be with you all’ was like a comfort to me and gives me a lot of hope for his papacy.

I hope peace will sprout up and hope will shine through in some big ways especially in this Jubilee Year of Hope. People are in need of a lot of hope and a deeper sense of peace in these days.”

Johnson nodded and added her thoughts regarding the importance of hope in connection to the new pope.

“Especially with young people, we’re seeing a shift in this being a time of hope,” Johnson said. “I personally hope that he will build on it this year and reach out.

 Being from Chicago, he’s someone that young people can see as closer to them.

“He’s the Holy Father, but there’s the relationship there that I hope will inspire people to come back to the Church and really dig deep into it and see that everyone is welcome here. There’s a place for everyone in the Church.” †