MILAWUKEE — Catholics from around the world were forced to wait and wonder for roughly an hour Thursday after white smoke billowed at the Vatican, signaling the selection of a new pope. But that patience turned to surprise not long after when the announcement came down that the Cardinals had selected an American-born Pope for the first time in the church's roughly 2,000 year history.

"I'm not sure we were expecting to see an American Pope elected and coming from Chicago," said Father Nathan Linton of the St. Francis Capuchin Monastery in Milwaukee. "I think most people are going to be very excited about Cardinal Prevost's election and now of course Pope Leo XIV."

Father Linton said that once the ceremonies and celebrations wind down, Catholics should expect Pope Leo to lead with a similar tone to the late Pope Francis.

"He's an inspiring figure," Father Linton said. "When you look at what he's done, and I think we can hope to see a clear continuity with the papacy that comes just before him with Pope Francis."

Watch the full interview above.