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| By Edgar Beltrán / The Pillar |
It was really strange to watch the evening news and see the interviews with Leo XIV's brother and friends in the Augustinian order in Chicago. He'd taught at a local Chicago high school. All were overjoyed and also rather dumbfounded at knowing the pope so personally.
I've read similar stories about the two popes previously elected in my Catholic lifetime — Benedict and Francis. All were nice but left me relatively untouched.
The stories from the news last night somehow made it more immediate to me. As if I knew him too. Then I realized this Leo XIV is just a couple of years older than I am. We have the same cultural touchstones in growing up in the Midwest (Kansas and Missouri for me). He's gone to 4th of July parades, eaten hot dogs and hamburgers (what does he like on his Chicago style dog?), had favorite sports teams, saw Star Wars at the movies, watched Bewitched on TV. Or many similar points of connection.
It is a distinctly odd feeling to have such things in common with Our Holy Father.
He's just a few years younger than I am, so ditto on the odd feeling.
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