EXPERT Q&A

With Cardinal Robert Prevost having been selected as the first American pope in Catholic history, Silvia Pedraza, professor of sociology and American culture at the University of Michigan, offers her insights on what this groundbreaking appointment means for the global Church.

Why do you think it took so long for an American to be named Pope?

I think what made him attractive as a candidate for the papacy was that he is extremely well-educated but grew up in a very urban city, Chicago, full of immigrants. Also, he is American but spent years working in Peru. That is, he is a candidate from the First World but with a lot of knowledge about the Third World.

As the "People's Pope," does his American identity create unique pressures?

I think Pope Francis was called "the people's pope," not due to his doctrinal stances but due to his accessibility to the people. He was not an ivory tower pope. He traveled widely through difficult areas of the world, including the U.S., and in Rome one could always see him and hear him nearby, as he passed by in his popemobile and his message was delivered to people broadly.

Will his background mean more U.S. visits?

I do believe so, and that would be a good thing. I would enjoy seeing him at a Cubs game in Chicago, if it were possible.