After white smoke billowed Thursday from the Sistine Chapel, signaling that a pope had been chosen, students in every classroom at The Frances Xavier Warde School in Chicago had their eyes glued to TV screens.As the image of the new pope, Chicago native Cardinal Robert Prevost, appeared onscreen, cheers erupted through the hallways. Children jumped out of their seats, pumping their hands in the air.맥스카지노�Our students are just beside themselves," said Mary Perrotti, director of advancement at the school. 맥스카지노�They맥스카지노�re beyond excited and can맥스카지노�t believe a Chicagoan is their new pope. They were in awe.맥스카지노�Prevost, 69, took the name Leo XIV and replaced Pope Francis, who died last month. The first American elected pontiff, Pope Leo XIV was born and raised in Chicago before undertaking his ministry in Peru. Catholic Chicagoans gathered in churches and celebrated from their homes as the historic decision was announced.맥스카지노�Our young people have a model now of a leader with justice and compassion at the heart of his ministries 맥스카지노� and who is from their home,맥스카지노� Perrotti said. "It맥스카지노�s such a deep feeling of connection for them.맥스카지노�Prevost was born in 1955 in the south side Chicago neighborhood of Bronzeville and grew up in suburban Dolton, where he attended Mass and elementary school at St. Mary of the Assumption.He later studied theology at the Catholic Theological Union of Chicago in Hyde Park and taught in local Catholic schools, including at St. Rita High School, according to the school.맥스카지노�We are overjoyed that someone who is beloved and known to us is now the beloved leader of the whole entire church,맥스카지노� said Barbara Reid, a Dominican sister and president of the Catholic Theological Union.Video below: Brother of Pope Leo XIV speaks after historic electionClassmates reflect on new pope's hometown connectionJohn Doughney, a fellow St. Mary맥스카지노�s grade school graduate from 1969, remembers Prevost as a 맥스카지노�friend to everyone맥스카지노� and a 맥스카지노�kind, caring, compassionate young man.맥스카지노�맥스카지노�Even when he was 12 and 13, it was apparent to all of us that he knew what his calling was,맥스카지노� he said. 맥스카지노�It would맥스카지노�ve shocked all of us if he didn맥스카지노�t go into the priesthood. We맥스카지노�re so proud of him.맥스카지노�Linda Eickmann, 62, was also born and raised in Dalton and attended St. Mary's. When she saw the news of the new pope on TV, she screamed with joy.맥스카지노�How cool is that?" she said. "A pope from my elementary school, from my town. It맥스카지노�s unreal.맥스카지노�Eickmann remembered Prevost's family as being so deeply involved in the St. Mary's community that everyone knew their names. They ran sloppy joe sales to raise money for the school, and all their sons were altar boys, including Prevost.Raul Raymundo, co-founder of a local community advocacy group called the Resurrection Project, said Thursday was a proud day for Chicagoans and he hoped Pope Leo XIV will "continue Pope Francis맥스카지노� legacy and Chicago맥스카지노�s legacy of social justice and compassion, especially in welcoming immigrants.맥스카지노�맥스카지노�There맥스카지노�s tears of joy, of hope, of motivation to rise to this moment and leave this world better than we found it," said Raymundo, an immigrant from Mexico who grew up in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood.Chicagoans gather in churches, share memes to celebrate Pope Leo XIVAt Holy Name Cathedral, about two dozen people gathered to pray as light filtered in through the stained glass windows.Kneeling in a pew, Laurel Legle said she isn't Catholic or even Christian but felt she had to be there after the new American pope's election was announced. She called it a 맥스카지노�profound moment.맥스카지노�Zoë Poehlman, a nurse who moved from Kansas City to Chicago a few months ago, described the mood as exciting and hopes there will be citywide celebrations. 맥스카지노�It was just so crazy,맥스카지노� she said.Father Gregory Sakowicz, the cathedral's rector, said that when the new pope was announced, the sun came out 맥스카지노� a coincidence he described as 맥스카지노�God맥스카지노�s way of remaining anonymous.맥스카지노� He said he was 맥스카지노�happily shocked,맥스카지노� and that he had a burning question: Whether the new Pope was a White Sox fan?When a journalist in the crowd said she맥스카지노�d heard Pope Leo XIV is a Cubs fan, Sakowicz chuckled. 맥스카지노�God bless him,맥스카지노� he said.On social media, people swapped memes about Chicago staples 맥스카지노� deep-dish and tavern-style pizza, the Chicago liqueur Malört and baseball, reflecting the civic pride of Chicago residents as they claimed the pope as one of their own.Google search traffic for 맥스카지노�Da Pope맥스카지노� skyrocketed, and a local T-shirt company announced it would sell 맥스카지노�Da Pope맥스카지노� shirts with a blue-and-orange Bears-themed design. Chicagoans overlayed Chicago Bulls intro music to video of the pope exiting the Vatican.Some joked about replacing communion wafers and wine with tavern-style pizza and Malört. And the Chicago fast food chain Portillo's jested about shipping its Italian beef to Vatican City.Many users also proclaimed hope the new pope would represent Chicago's history of social justice.맥스카지노�For Catholic Chicagoans, to have a native son who has been born and raised in a city where support and care of all has always been central to who we are as a city, it really speaks volumes," Perrotti said."I truly believe his upbringing in Chicago informs his ministries, his compassion and sense of justice. Now, he can give the world a sense of who we are as a city.맥스카지노�