‘I was in awe’: How Toronto’s two cardinals are feeling after participating in the conclave

Canadian cardinals Gérald Cyprien Lacroix, Frank Cardinal Leo, and Emeritus Thomas share their experiences participating in the conclave.

Catholic cardinals elected the first U.S. pope on Thursday, making Chicago-born missionary Robert Prevost the 267th pontiff to lead the Catholic Church.

Prevost, a 69-year-old member of the Augustinian religious order who spent his career ministering in Peru, took the name Leo XIV.

One hundred and thirty-three cardinals sequestered themselves inside the Sistine Chapel for the conclave earlier this week.

Of those 133 cardinals were two from Toronto: Archbishop Frank Cardinal Leo and Archbishop Emeritus Thomas Cardinal Collins.

The pair are now reflecting on the experience, calling it “awesome” and “very important.”

‘Profoundly moving’

For Collins, it was his second time participating in the Vatican conclave, after being present for Pope Francis’ election in 2013.

“It is a profoundly moving experience,” Collins said at a press conference in Rome on Friday.

“I was in awe once more. One never gets used to it—to be able to participate in this most sacred event.”

Collins said one of the most moving moments for him was when he brought the card with his vote up to the altar and looked up at “The Last Judgement,” one of Michelangelo’s fresco paintings in the Sistine Chapel.

“I mean, it is awesome.”

Collins added that when Prevost accepted the papacy “we all cheered and clapped in unity with him.”

‘Important responsibility’

Reflecting on his experience, Leo said what comes to mind is how deeply steeped in history the conclave is and how significant it still is for people today.

“There we are, in a beautiful chapel with the mural by Michelangelo, representing different parts of the world,” Leo said at the press conference.

“Here we are from across the world, representing our local churches and representing so many people of faith for whom in 2025 religion is still something very important.”

Leo said it struck him how many people “flocked” to Rome to experience the election of the next pope.

“We were called to this awesome and very important responsibility and now we have a new Holy Father, a new shepherd for the church.”

Leo also joked that he “really liked” the name Prevost chose for his papal name, “obviously.”

With files from The Associated Press