San Francisco          Despite falling membership and expensive scandals in many countries, the Catholic Church still matters in many communities, making the selection of a new pope something of interest and importance.  In a historically Catholic city, like New Orleans, where memories persist of fish Fridays, Lent denials, Mardi Gras, and ashen foreheads on the following Wednesday, this is more than a casual interest.  The selection of Robert Francis Prevost now Leo XIV was greeted by New Orleanians, Catholic and non-Catholic, with particular enthusiasm.

Though the pope was most immediately the Cardinal in Peru, following the path of the previous pope from Argentina, he was actually born in Chicago, even though living and serving abroad for the last more than forty years.  More interestingly, not only is he the first American pope, but his family roots go back to New Orleans and the rich tradition of Catholicism in the city and its significant Black base.

A researcher with the Historic New Orleans Collection quickly was able to establish that,

…the new pope, is descended from Creole people of color from New Orleans. The pope’s maternal grandparents, both of whom are described as Black or mulatto in various historical records, lived in the city’s Seventh Ward, an area that is traditionally Catholic and a melting pot of people with African, Caribbean and European roots. The grandparents, Joseph Martinez and Louise Baquié, eventually moved to Chicago in the early 20th century and had a daughter: Mildred Martinez, the pope’s mother.

Although not addressed in the pope’s biography or, according to his brother in Chicago, in the family history and discussions, Jari Honora, the researcher, produced historical records and evidence quickly to establish his background through his maternal relatives.

Honora …began investigating the pope’s background because of his French-sounding name, Prevost, but quickly found connections to the South instead. His trail of evidence linking Leo to New Orleans includes the grandparents’ marriage certificate from their Seventh Ward wedding in 1887, a photo of the Martinez family grave marker in Chicago, and an electronic birth record of Mildred Martinez that shows she was born in Chicago in 1912. The birth record lists Joseph Martinez and “Louise Baquiex” as Mildred’s parents. The father’s birthplace is listed as the Dominican Republic; the mother’s, New Orleans.  Mr. Honora also found records from the 1900 Census that list Mr. Martinez as “Black,” his place of birth as “Hayti,” and his occupation as “cigar maker.” Mr. Martinez’s details appear on the sixth line of a page of the census that Mr. Honora shared…. “Both Joseph Norval Martinez and Louise Baquié were people of color, no doubt about it,” Mr. Honora said.

Although the pope’s family didn’t identify as Black and likely was able to easily pass racially, which has not been uncommon in the history and trajectory of many Creole families, that issue is less relevant now than the pride and excitement felt among Black Catholics and New Orleanians, who are shouting to the rooftops that we have an American and a Black pope.  The city has long boasted of having the largest Black Catholic membership in the United States, and now has a pope to prove it.

It took the Mayor of New Orleans no time to put out a press notice “claiming” the pope.  No doubt, political and religious leaders in the city will immediately begin lobbying the Holy See for a visit from Leo XIV.  Pope Francis never returned to Argentina after he was elevated, but there will be many voices calling for Pope Leo to come back home for a visit, especially to offset the rising voices of influential and rightwing Catholics including six Supreme Court Justices with one of that number also from New Orleans, as well as Vice-President J.D. Vance and others.

Every indication is that Leo will follow in the footsteps of Francis as an advocate for the poor, immigrant, and marginalized.  We need his voice to be loud and clear.