He is certainly the most well-known and respected American currently on the world stage.

He is Pope Leo XIV, and he recently marked his first six months in the role he was elected to in May after the death of Pope Francis.

It seemed the entire world was watching when Leo was elected by the College of Cardinals shortly after Francis died. The joy and the hope on display in St. Peter’s Square when Leo first emerged was palpable.

Camillo Barone recently did a two-part series for National Catholic Reporter on the conclave that elected Pope Leo. Various cardinals involved with the conclave spoke to NCR about the process, which many of them described as calm and “spiritual.”

“This is how I define that period of time: a light but powerful blast of the Holy Spirit, which filled us with joy and freshness, enlarged our hearts and expanded our horizons,” said Cardinal Oscar Cantoni of Como, Italy.

Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected on the fourth vote.

“Thunderous applause filled the Sistine Chapel as all the cardinals gave a standing ovation,” Barone wrote. “Some of them were in tears.”

Cardinal Joseph Tobin said he remembers it clearly, even if he could barely see Prevost’s face: “I do remember being so impressed by his voice, when he responded to the question, ‘Do you accept?’ ”

Prevost’s response to the fateful question was unwavering. “Accipio,” he said, which means “I accept” in Latin.

Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako, who was sitting right next to Prevost, said, “He remained serene, simple and calm the whole time. He showed no emotion on his face, and even when he was elected, he remained so serene. I didn’t observe anything extraordinary, as if he had been born pope. When he said ‘I accept’ in a strong voice, it meant that he was aware of the heavy responsibility that awaited him.”

“I just can’t attribute it to any other factor other than his deep spiritual life, really as part of God’s plan for him and for the church,” said Tobin.

Pope Leo’s election was immediately met with off-the-charts pride from the United States, particularly Chicago and its south side where he was born and raised.

After his election, everyone, everywhere, it seemed, was trying to find a way to make a personal connection to Leo. His brothers were barraged with requests for interviews from the news media.

His brother John, who lives in New Lenox, with whom Leo remains in close contact, was engaged in an interview with the Associated Press when Leo called him for the first time after his election. When he found out John was being filmed at that moment, Leo understandably got quiet, and they continued their conversation off camera.

John Prevost has said in a subsequent interview with NBC 5 News in Chicago that he and his brother still talk on the phone and play Wordle every day.

Most Catholics are used to popes being from other countries, and that has made the role of pontiff a bit of a mystery, removed from our everyday understanding.

As Christopher Lamb wrote on CNN.com in reviewing Leo’s first six months as pope:

“Leo is a big supporter of the Chicago White Sox and on Oct. 15, days after the rival Chicago Cubs were eliminated from the playoffs, the pope was out greeting crowds in St. Peter’s Square. “Go Cubs!” someone shouted out. “They lost!” Leo shouted back, smiling, from the popemobile.”

I grew up in a Cubs home, where any mention of the White Sox was considered blasphemous, so Leo’s playful banter is endearing to me. If Pope Leo can build a bridge between Cubs and Sox fans, I suspect there is nothing he can’t do.

Leo speaks our language and feels like one of us. This, I believe, can only make the faith more accessible to Americans in crisis and in desperate need of a stabilizing force that reaffirms hope and the ongoing presence of the Holy Spirit in our everyday lives, even while our political world is in shambles.

So far, Leo’s steady demeanor and keen intellect have allowed him to speak challenging truths with gentleness and resolve. All reports indicate he has no intention of backing down from proclaiming the truth of the gospel, even while it is being twisted by others to serve their ulterior motives.

I don’t believe Pope Leo’s election was some cosmic coincidence. I believe Pope Leo was elected because his experience, intellect and demeanor are what the universal church needs at this moment in time. And I firmly believe he was elected under the genuine inspiration of the Holy Spirit moving in the hearts and minds of the cardinals tasked with picking the next leader of the church during these tumultuous times.

I pray for Pope Leo and his ministry every night. I hope you will, too.

No one in the world can understand the spiritual weight on his shoulders, that he has so far carried with such affability and grace, no doubt because he is embodying these words: “I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.” Phillipians 4:13

SPIRIT MATTERS is a weekly column by Jerrilyn Zavada Novak that examines experiences common to the human spirit. Contact her at jzblue33@yahoo.com.