Pope Leo XIV vowed Sunday to work for unity in a polarized Catholic Church and world, as history’s first American pope offered a message of healing during

(RNS) — It was a moment we had been told never to expect: An American cardinal, Robert Prevost, stepped onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica and greeted the faithful as Pope Leo XIV.

Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope from Chicago, could boost interest in the Catholic Church, potentially increasing religious attendance in the U.S.