BUTTE — Following the death of Pope Francis, Catholic students at Butte Central High School are honoring his life and celebrating the announcement of a new Pope.
A large television projects the live announcement as English teacher Sabrina Holland-Kump interprets for the students.
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"We are all one family. We are one people of the whole earth," says Holland-Kump.
"It’s powerful, as it is to have a Pope, but it’s nice that he’s like, got the same qualities as Pope Francis because Pope Francis was really all about peace," says Cadence Pawlik, a student at Butte Central.
Sixteen-year-old Pawlik and her theology classmates are watching as a new Pope takes power. The class has been following the process closely leading up to the election of the 267th Roman Pontiff. Pawlik says she had a feeling about one face after viewing the group of potential Popes last week.
"So, when he came out, it was kind of shocking to be like that’s the only guy I remember," says Pawlik.
For other students, the new Pope was a surprise.
" I didn’t really know who was in the running for it, but it is pretty cool that a U.S. guy was elected," says senior James Holmes.
Butte Central students look on as Pope Leo XIV, who hails from Chicago, Illinois, greets a massive crowd from a balcony in Italy. He is the first Pope to be chosen from the United States of America.
"This was an incredible time and opportunity in their lives to learn, you know, what they may not have learned otherwise about the process of the conclave. You know, and we talked about bringing together all of the great qualities of all of the Popes," says Becky Peoples, the theology teacher at Butte Central.
"I think the Pope is a way for us to come together and to center our faith and our hope. He's going to help us do the best that we can as Catholics and as Christians to work toward that peace," says Holland-Kump.
"It was a really beautiful experience. It was nice to see how diverse the Christian community is," says Pawlik.
