Pope Leo XIV, born Cardinal Robert Prevost, has been affectionately dubbed 'Pope Leo of the 7th Ward' by Black Catholics in New Orleans who are celebrating his newly discovered Creole roots. Churchgoers at St. Peter Claver Catholic Church are enthusiastically claiming familial ties, sharing a sense of pride and community. Rev. Tony Ricard, director of Black Catholic Ministries, emphasized the interconnectedness among Creole people. This revelation ignites hopes for greater recognition of Black Catholics' contributions and history in the U.S., alongside plans for celebratory parades.
"We call him our cousin," said Dorothy Pierce as she left Mass at St. Peter Claver Catholic Church in the Treme neighborhood on a recent May Sunday..."
"The pope doesn't know anything about this...but the number of cousins that the pope has all of a sudden has expanded," said the Rev. Ajani Gibson, pastor at St. Peter Claver.
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