On her 84th birthday, Sister Thérèse DelGenio, SNDdeN, received an unexpected gift – the election of her former student as Pope Leo XIV.
"I knew the Conclave was going on, but I had no idea when I was driving this gentleman to Social Security that the white smoke had appeared," Sister Thérèse shared.
Watch the video here or click the image above.
Sister Thérèse taught then-Robert Francis Prevost 40 years ago at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. She describes the young Pope as "a risk taker with a heart fixed on service," noting his choice to work on an outreach team addressing addiction and family suffering at St. Victor's parish.
Days before the Conclave, she had emailed him about Pope Francis' passing. His humble response: "There just isn't a chance that anybody from Chicago is going to be chosen."
On the historic selection of the first American Pope, Sister Thérèse reflected, "I think they all prayed for authenticity. He's not just concerned about the United States. He has a global heart and a global vision."
Sister Thérèse believes that under Pope Leo's leadership, "the true mission of the universal Church will continue with a renewed purpose."
Thanks to Channel 9 WCPO for the coverage and video.