In discussing the purpose of the Second Vatican Council, Pope John XXIII famously said it would open the windows of the Church to let in a little fresh air. Last week, as the balcony doors opened and Pope Leo XIV stepped out to greet the throngs gathered in the square below, the fresh air seemed to gush out across the world. And with that fresh air comes the promise of a new springtime—a much-needed time of renewal and flourishing within the Church and around the world.

One thing was immediately clear: President Trump is no longer the most important American in the world. He may be the most powerful, at least for three more years, but his power and influence will diminish, while Pope Leo’s will grow. Even as the world gets acquainted with one prominent American, it knows all too well the other. One is the embodiment of grievance and spite, the other is a model of compassion and love. The world needed a different kind of American leader, and the cardinal-electors delivered. Pope Leo is, in nearly every respect, the exact opposite of President Trump.

It is indeed a new springtime.

As if on cue, the actual spring weather was perfect all weekend long. We spent time engaged in our usual pursuits, but with renewed energy, renewed hope. President Trump has lived rent-free in our heads for far too long. Finally, a chimney above the Sistine Chapel smoked him out. Trump’s eviction, like Leo’s election, was a welcome relief, a breath of fresh air.

Viva il Papa!