They’d all heard the news that broke shortly after his election, that Pope Leo XIV has Creole roots in New Orleans that stretch back centuries. For Ricard, the Black Catholic faith of New Orleans has its own culture, its own flavor, even its own soundtrack. “I hope it will mean more people feel included in the church and, you know, see themselves in Pope Leo,” she said. And both were already sporting Pope Leo merch: red graphic T-shirts featuring an image of the new pontiff, New Orleans style. “It is our beloved Pope Leo of the 7th Ward.