‘More than a novelty’: Catholic blogger says first American pope reflects deep renewal in US Church

In a recent reflection titled “The American Pope and the Renewal of Catholic Life,” Father Richard Vigoa, a Catholic blogger and pastor at St. Augustine Catholic Church in Florida, described the election of Pope Leo XIV as the fruit of decades of evangelization and growth in the US Church.

“The election of Pope Leo XIV, the first American pontiff in the history of the Catholic Church, has sent a ripple of joy and wonder through the global Church,” Fr. Vigoa wrote in his June 30 post. “But nowhere is the excitement more tangible than in the United States.”

Fr. Vigoa noted the recent surge in attendance at papal general audiences, which he sees as a sign of spiritual curiosity sparked by Pope Leo’s election. But he argued that the moment signals something deeper. 

“For many, the rise of an American pope is more than a novelty — it is the flowering of seeds sown over decades,” he wrote, pointing to the long-term growth and vitality of American Catholicism.

Drawing on the legacy of Pope St. John Paul II’s call for a “New Evangelization,” Fr. Vigoa brought attention to the widespread influence of American Catholic initiatives, catechetical tools, and apostolates. 

He quoted Catholic apologist Matt Fradd, who remarked that it is no coincidence the first American pope emerged “at a time when many of the catechetical tools used across the world come from the United States.”

Fr. Vigoa cited resources like Ascension Press, the Hallow app, Word on Fire, and the Augustine Institute, as well as Fr. Mike Schmitz’s Bible in a Year podcast, which gained top rankings even on secular platforms. He argued that these are not just media products, but instruments of renewal and formation. 

“American Catholic ingenuity has been shaping global Catholic life,” he observed.

The reflection also highlighted the work of apostolates like the Napa Institute, FOCUS, Christ Renews His Parish, and Evangelical Catholic — groups that, in Fr. Vigoa’s words, “are not just producing programs — they are forming disciples.”

While noting the significance of Pope Leo’s American upbringing, shaped by religious liberty, pluralism, and parish-based faith, Fr. Vigoa noted that the Pope’s years as a missionary in Peru were equally transformative. 

“His missionary years were not only pastoral — they were prophetic, preparing him to shepherd a global Church with tenderness and truth,” he wrote.

Fr. Vigoa concluded by encouraging American Catholics to embrace the moment with resolve. 

“Let this historic moment inspire not only holy pride, but also purpose,” he said. “May the Church in the United States, energized by this providential moment, become ever more a beacon of faith — both to herself and to the world.”

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