St. Peter’s Square erupted in cheers when Cardinal Dominique Mamberti, the cardinal proto-deacon, announced Pope Leo XIV had been elected the 267th pontiff of the Catholic Church.

Back in Shelby Township, Michigan, Fr. Ronald Essman was in his recliner when he perked up with a shock.

“I almost had a heart attack,” said Fr. Essman, a senior priest of the Archdiocese of Detroit who celebrates weekend Masses at St. Paul of Tarsus Parish in Clinton Township and St. Therese of Lisieux Parish in Shelby Township. “I was sitting in my big soft chair here and, of course, we saw the white smoke, and they were all saying it would be an hour or so before the new pope was named. So I’m sitting here and the doors open up, and the cardinal comes out and announces the new pope, and I see in the background: ‘Is that Bob Prevost?’”

detroitcatholic.com

Before he was Pope Leo XIV, Detroit priests knew him as just 'a wonderful guy' - Detroit Catholic

Newly elected pontiff visited Grosse Pointe parish during his time as Augustinian prior, was college classmates with Detroit priest