Utah Catholics react to election of Pope Leo XIV

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (ABC4) — After Thursday’s election of Pope Leo XIV, some Catholics are optomistic about the new Pontiff, the first one from the United States.

“I was shocked there was one from the United States …that’s unheard of and was one of the younger countries of the church,” Michele Hoff said.

Parishioners reflect on the symbolism of the name Leo.

“Choosing Leo was huge because that is a string name that means doctrinal clarity, so I thought that was nice because having clarity is important,” Hoff said.

Another parishioner, Will Kocher, agrees.

“The choice of name means he’s going to advocate for working families and people across the globe,” Kocher said. He hopes the new pope will advocate for better treatment for workers, as Kocher works with labor groups.

“We supported workers’ rights and advocated for workers’ safety for the formation of labor unions which I’m hoping this new pope will also do,” Kocher said.

Hoff adds that she is ready for whatever comes next with the new Pope.

“There’s a lot of tension between traditional Catholic ways and where we are now so I’m hoping for a unity in bringing all pieces together,” Hoff said.

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