Catholic school students react to election of Pope Leo XIV

TOLEDO, Ohio — The historic election of Pope Leo XIV, the first American-born pontiff, provided a real-time teaching moment for Catholic school students across northwest Ohio this week, inspiring pride, curiosity and hope in classrooms.

At Cardinal Stritch High Catholic School and Academy, senior Bryce Fitch learned the news during class and immediately understood its significance.

“When we first saw the smoke come out, my first reaction was, ‘Oh my gosh, this is just huge news,’” Fitch said.

Pope Leo XIV, hailing from Chicago, was a relatable figure for students, especially in younger grades. At St. Patrick of Heatherdowns, second-grade teacher Erica Baki said her students were especially proud.

“Once they heard Chicago, it clicked,” Baki said. “They felt a lot of pride, which was really nice to see.”

This marks the third time in the past two decades that the Catholic Church has named a new pope, but this election resonated deeply. Students were able to reflect on the moment and its meaning in real time.

Eighth grader Emma Tahir from St. Pat’s said she hopes the new pope continues a legacy of compassion and outreach.

“I really hope that he follows Pope Francis’ footsteps in helping underdeveloped countries, helping minorities of the Catholic faith and bringing more young people into the church,” she said.

Fitch added that the new pope’s leadership offers a chance to learn and grow spiritually, especially as Pope Leo was first brought in as a cardinal by Francis.

“Just to pass down some of his knowledge and teachings, I think all of that will really help with Pope Leo and his upcoming missions,” Fitch said.

Following his election, Pope Leo addressed the world with a message of unity.

“Peace be with all of you … I, too, would like this greeting of peace to enter your hearts, to reach your families, and all people, wherever they are, all of the people, all over the earth,” the pope said.

Those words deeply resonated with Baki, who said they aligned with the core values she teaches in her classroom.

“They felt very safe. They felt very hopeful,” she said. “With my students here, we all teach different pillars of character — integrity, honesty, trustworthiness. So his words reminded me of that and I think the kids were able to connect to that too.”

As Pope Leo begins his papacy, local educators said they’ll continue using his historic rise as a springboard for discussions about leadership, faith and character.