You would have thought Jesus himself were visiting our house on Thursday, May 8, as our children hopped around with excitement at the news of the white smoke rising from the Sistine Chapel. 

I hadn’t slept well the night before. I left my phone by the bed with the ringer on, in case my EWTN colleagues called from Rome, “Habemus papam!”; and I didn’t sleep soundly because I didn’t want to miss anything. By mid-morning, I was dragging through my usual computer work, maintaining a steady level of high tension as I anticipated any news about the smoke.  

And then I got the message: “We have a new pope.”  

I ran to tell my husband, who was out playing with the kids: “WHITE SMOKE. HABEMUS PAPAM.” 

He looked at me with such joy. 

For the next several hours, I was locked in my office with a firestorm of typing, clicking, calling, downloading, uploading, exporting, tweeting, confirming, watching, rewatching — all to ensure the news got to the EWTN audience as quickly as possible. 

Meanwhile, my husband was watching EWTN’s coverage with our kids, all under age 9. You see, they’ve been praying for the pope their whole lives, with each recitation of the Rosary, when praying for indulgences, and especially during the months of Pope Francis’ illness. In fact, I was nervous about telling them about the Pope’s death in April because I knew they would be devastated.  

On April 21, my eldest, at the news of Pope Francis’ passing, looked at me with the most innocent expression and asked, “Who will be our Holy Father now?” And ever since, she’s been praying for his soul and his successor. 

When I emerged from my own sort of digital conclave to check in with my family, my kids ran up to me to share the news, “We know who the new pope is! Leo! And he’s from America!” They were thrilled at the opportunity to see close-ups of the white smoke, amused by the seagull who hung out by the chimney, and shared in the joy that emanated from St. Peter’s Square when Pope Leo XIV stepped out onto the loggia.  

My kids didn’t ask about the new Pope’s political affiliation, whether he was conservative or liberal, or in favor of expanding or restricting Latin Mass. They didn’t ask how high he ranked or what agenda he might have. They didn’t care about anything except the fact that he was the pope — their pope. 

And later that evening, my 4-year-old told every person she encountered, “Habemus papam!” or “Did you know? We have a pope again!” 

Our kids didn’t have to know everything about him as a prerequisite for loving him. They simply loved, and their enthusiasm invigorated my own love for our newly minted Pope. In fact, as we rewatched EWTN’s coverage together, I was able to more fully recognize the intense emotions Pope Leo XIV appeared to hold back, as he gazed upon his flock for the first time, as he greeted them for the first time, as he blessed them for the first time. 

This is a time when every news story is politicized, Catholics are experiencing deeper divides, and we have access to far too many influencers’ opinions. My children have reminded me that we cannot get lost in the sea of commentary that seeks to distract from what our Holy Father and Church need during this transition: not just earnest prayers and sacrifices, but a deeper filial attachment to the Holy Father, loving him for who he is as our spiritual father, not imposing judgment on him before he’s even broken in his zucchetto.  

I’m grateful for my children’s witness and will be praying for the grace to love Pope Leo XIV with all my heart. I hope you can say the same!