Pope Leo XIV, the first American to be elected as pope, is not only from Chicago, but he has extensive ties to Southwest Michigan.

Catholic Diocese of Kalamazoo spokesperson Victoria Cessna tells us the Pope, Robert Francis Prevost, attended high school in Allegan County and visited Kalamazoo.

“The Augustinians had what is known as a minor seminary, which is a high school that’s located in Allegan County, probably just technically north of Douglas,” Cessna said. “He spent his high school years there. And in a conversation he had with Bishop Lohse, he said, ‘Oh, I know Kalamazoo. I was there,’ meaning the diocese, ‘I was there, when it was founded in 1971.’”

Cessna says that’s not all. Prevost likely was involved in masses at churches all over Southwest Michigan.

“And so we can imagine, and have heard that he likely, as a high schooler, served mass at churches such as St. Peter in Douglas and Blessed Sacrament in Allegan, which is where the Augustinian Order had connections. We also know that because of that tie, I have heard that he celebrated Mass at Our Lady of the Lake in Edwardsburg and St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Niles.”

Cessna says Bishop Emeritus Paul Bradley also met the Pope when he was a cardinal in Rome.

Cessna tells us people at the diocese gathered around the TV in anticipation Thursday once white smoke was seen billowing out of the chimney at the Sistine Chapel to wait for those balcony doors to open. She says she’s overjoyed at the selection of Leo XIV, calling the moment of the big reveal exciting and emotional.

The Diocese of Kalamazoo will hold a special mass on Monday, May 19 at St. Augustine Chapel in Kalamazoo at 5:30 p.m. to celebrate the election of a new church leader.