In the midst of the daily swirl of bad news from across the world, last week brought some good news–the election of a new Pope.

I am not a Roman Catholic, but it is always exhilarating to experience the spiritual uplift that comes when a new pontiff is selected. It is good to have a world leader who brings spiritual perspective and continuity and who is not caught up in the day-to-day political battles that are always occurring between nations around the globe. The Pope, as leader of his church, stands for something more.

There was elation in this country that the new Pope was an American. Yet, he is not an American Pope. He is a Pope who was born in America. He is everyone’s Pope. He is the world’s Pope.

A good friend of mine, who is a strong, committed Catholic, was greatly moved by the selection of Pope Leo XIV. As he put it: “As an Augustinian, and just like Pope Francis, who was a Jesuit, the new Pope took vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. That certainly is a life that I could not follow, and I respect anyone who can follow those vows.”

Isn’t it heartening that not all leadership in the world is driven by a desire for power or money? We don’t measure a Pope by how big his bank account is or by how many houses he owns. We look to him for spiritual and moral leadership.

Back in the days when I was a Methodist seminarian in the Chicago area, through ecumenical/inter-school conferences, I came to know some Jesuit seminarians. It gave me a glimpse into the world of the Roman Catholic priesthood.

It is a monumental commitment that these men make. Not only do they make a commitment to the Christian ministry, but they must also commit to the celibate life of an all-male priesthood.

Some of the Catholic seminarians that I met eventually left their training because they had fallen in love and wanted to get married. It has been my view since then that the Catholic Church would be better served if it allowed and recognized a married clergy. There are enough challenges to be confronted by those in the Christian ministry without also saddling them with a mandate that they cannot marry, have kids or raise a family.

As a non-Catholic, it is something that someday I hope will change. I believe that it would strengthen and not diminish the Roman Catholic Church.

But back to the present–the new Pope seems to be a good choice. He is multi-lingual and spoke in Latin, Italian and Spanish when introduced to the crowd at St. Peter’s Square. He spent 20 years as a missionary in Peru and also holds Peruvian citizenship. Yet, he also still calls Chicago home. He is truly the world’s Pope.

Our world needs strong spiritual and moral leadership, and it looks like we have that in Pope Leo XIV. The only perceived weakness I can find in him is that he is apparently a White Sox fan, and I have always rooted for the Cubs!

Rolland Kidder is a Stow resident.