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As the first-ever American pope takes to the throne of St. Peter on Sunday, immigration advocates in the Valley hope his past can bring change to the future.
“As we’re beginning to learn more about Pope Leo, we have someone who understands the American context and the Latin American context,” said Joe Rubio, the director at Arizona Interfaith Network.
Pope Leo XIV is a Chicago native and the first Augustinian friar to be elected to the Holy See. After attaining priesthood in 1982, he went off for missionary work in Peru, later serving as a bishop there.
Leaders with Valley Interfaith Project (VIP) hope his time in Latin America will influence his views on immigration issues right here in Arizona.
“From his parents and grandparents, he’s experienced that whole understanding of what it means to be an immigrant,” said Father Bob Fambrini, SJ, the pastor at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church and a leader with VIP.
“I think he could be a powerful leader in it,” said Monica Dorcey, another Valley Interfaith Project leader.
According to 19thnews.org, Pope Leo seems to be aligned on immigrant and migrant rights with the late Pope Francis, who himself was from Argentina.
In February, Francis came out against the Trump administration’s plans for mass deportations. And members of VIP even got chances to speak with him directly on immigration.
“We sat with him in a circle for an hour and a half having a free-flowing back and forth conversation about our work, about the communities where we’re at, both on the border and in metropolitan areas,” said Rubio.
“I would like to see Pope Leo continue some of those initiatives and begin to bring to fruition things that were envisioned by Pope Francis,” said Dorcey.
Trump has already told Fox News he is open to meeting Pope Leo XIV on immigration. VIP leaders hope the president keeps an open mind.
“Preaches a lot about how he won the Catholic vote. It would be good if he kind of understood and embraced what Catholic teaching was all about,” said Fambrini.
Local Immigration Advocates Hopeful for Pope Leo XIV Influence in Arizona ABC15 Arizona [pdf]