Archbishop-designate of the Archdiocese of Kansas City Shawn McKnight was among those celebrating the announcement of Pope Leo XIV Thursday.
McKnight, who currently serves as the Archbishop of the Diocese of Jefferson City in Missouri, left Monday for Rome to start a Jubilee pilgrimage of hope . He said the trip was planned for before the Conclave was announced to pick the successor to Pope Francis.
Minutes after the Conclave completed its work Thursday in selecting American Robert Prevost, who will go by the papal name Pope Leo XIV, McKnight was interviewed by NBC News anchor Lester Holt as part of the network’s special report.
Pope Leo XIV emerges at St. Peter’s Basilica
“I am beaming with joy. I have a heart full of hope. I just feel deeply honored to have yet another pope from the New World,” McKnight, 56, told Holt about his reaction to Pope Leo. “I hope our brothers and sisters from South America, Central America and the rest of North America can join us in this exhilarating moment in having a pope from Chicago. My gosh, I am just thrilled to death.”…