St. John Bosco School students were buzzing with excitement during live coverage from Rome of celebrations following the election of Pope Leo XIV.
SAN ANTONIO — The election of Pope Leo XIV ignited celebrations across the globe and the excitement was palpable at St. John Bosco Catholic School on San Antonio’s west side.
Students gathered in classrooms and the cafeteria to watch the historic announcement unfold live from Rome.
“When we saw Leo for Pope Leo, we were all going crazy!” exclaimed third-grader Leonardo Perez, who shares his name with the new pontiff.
The moment the white smoke appeared, signaling the election, the school erupted in applause.
“We all started clapping and screaming,” sixth-grader Abigail Salinas recalled. “Some of us jumped out of our seats.”
Kindergartner Benjamin Barrera added a touch of humor, noting, “He kind of looks like my dad.”
Celeste Garcia, a St. John Bosco alumna and current first-grade teacher, reflected on the significance of the event.
“It feels like we’re a little bit closer to what’s going on over there,” she said. Garcia shared that one student affectionately referred to the pope as “the new grandpa of the church.”
Sister Ana Laura Palacios, FMA., emphasized the community’s readiness to embrace the new leader.
“That’s the beautiful thing. It doesn’t matter who comes out. We’re sure that this is the one chosen by God through our cardinals to lead our church,” she said.
Sister Ana had her own unforgettable experience finding out about the Pope. “We drove away and right there they were going to announce him, so we said, ‘Let’s pull into this McDonald’s parking lot,’” she laughed. “I quickly found a Catholic radio station in the car and they were talking so excitedly about it.”
Hearing Pope Leo lead the crowd in a Hail Mary left a deep impression on her.
“He can’t go wrong if he’s got Her by his side,” she said. “It was great to know he’s an Augustinian because then he understands religious life.”
For Sister Ana, the occasion went beyond a footnote in Church history.
“It’s history, but it’s beyond history. It’s a spiritual experience,” she said. “The thing that touches me most is when a person in high authority as his takes care of the lowly. Pope Francis was a master at that. He cared for the imprisoned, he cared for the migrants, he cared for the poor.”
As Pope Leo XIV begins his papacy, the students offered heartfelt advice.
Leonardo suggested, “He should pray every day and bless Rome just like Pope Francis did.”
Benjamin advised, “Maybe help others… Helping them up. Teaching them how to fish, so he can know how to have a good time.”
Abigail encouraged the pope to “go with what God tells him and not be afraid to make a change.”
When asked if he was proud to share a name with the new pope, Leonardo responded with a resounding, “Yes!”
“His name is Leo. My name is Leo!” he said with a grin. “We technically have the same name in common!”
“I feel like everyone shouldn’t doubt him because he’s new,” Salinas added. “Everyone’s new to things. You can’t be perfect at everything you do, just have a little hope in him that he’ll be as good as Pope Francis.”
Should Pope Leo XIV visit San Antonio, the students are eager to welcome him.
Leonardo confidently stated, “He will probably be a good pope, a really good pope.”
To celebrate the occasion, Sister Ana mentioned that, thanks to a special at Sam’s Club, the sisters would be enjoying ice cream cones in honor of Pope Leo.