Pope Leo XIV has a "real quiet, personable demeanor to him that I think people are going to find refreshing," says Fr. Patrick Flanagan, chair of the Department of Theology and Religious Studies at Saint John's University.
"His Augustinian confreres and people in the Vatican, even his own family who call him Rob, find in him a sincere, faithful, and loyal brother," Flanagan said Saturday during an appearance on Newsmax's "The Count."
"And I think that's pretty remarkable. And that's what I think the church is going to find in Cardinal Leo, the 14th," he added.
"And I think that's going to be a real plus to the growth of the church, as well as the growth of vocations which the church surely needs."
The cardinal electors of the Catholic Church on Thursday elected Chicago native Robert Francis Prevost, 69, as the first American-born Pope to lead the world's 1.4 billion Catholics.
Prevost chose Leo XIV as his papal name.
GET TODAY NEWSMAX+:
NEWSMAX is the fastest-growing cable news channel in America with more than 30 million people watching!
Reuters Institute reports NEWSMAX is one of the top news brands in the U.S.
You need to watch NEWSMAX today.
Get it with great shows from Rob Schmitt, Greta Van Susteren, Greg Kelly, Carl Higbie, Rob Finnerty – and many more!
Find the NEWSMAX channel on your cable system – Go Here Now
BEST OFFER:
Sign up for NEWSMAX+ and get NEWSMAX, our streaming channel NEWSMAX2 and our military channel World at War.
Find hundreds of shows, movies and specials.
Even get Jon Voight's special series and President Trump's comedy programs and much more!
Watch NEWSMAX+ on your smartphone or home TV app.
Watch NEWSMAX anytime, anywhere!
Start your FREE trial now: NewsmaxPlus.com