'He was down here frequently:' Pope Leo XIV's Tulsa ties

More than one billion Catholics are praying Thursday night for the first pope born in the United States.

Pope Leo XIV grew up in Chicago and has ties to Tulsa.

News On 6's Sam Carrico tells us how one Cascia Hall student says today's announcement is the start of a new era of hope, unity, and love.

Pope Leo XIV- or Robert Prevost - served on the board of directors for Cascia Hall from 1999-2001, and his name is on display inside the school.

Related: Pope Leo XIV once served as a board member for Cascia Hall in Tulsa

Waiting in anticipation

Meg O'Connor is the student council president at Cascia Hall and says today was different.

"Definitely not focusing on our school today," she said.

As all eyes inside the school were on the Vatican - and the screens.

"Playing the updates on the projector, and just playing them on our Chromebooks, on our phones, any platform we could find," said O'Connor.

As kids here and Catholics everywhere waited for the white smoke from the Sistine Chapel.

"A bunch of people ran into the hallway and just kind of celebrated with each other, just realized, like, the impact of like, what this outcome means."

Cascia Hall is run by the Augustinian Order, the same order as the new pope.

"He's a good man. He's got a good heart. He loves people. My experience of him is that he has a very pastoral heart," said Headmaster Father Philip Cook. He says students were chanting "viva la popa" and "USA USA" when the news broke.

The Tulsa connection

Then-Father Robert Prevost helped oversee the school as part of a leadership role within the order.

"So he was down here frequently for meetings, fostering relationships with the community here in our school," said Father Cook.

That was more than twenty years ago, but today's students say it's amazing to see his impact on their lives and now the world.

Related: Oklahoma clergy reacts to historic election of Pope Leo XIV, a former Cascia Hall board member

Impact across the world

"Our three core values here at Cascia are truth, unity and love. So I think just seeing those values spread out throughout other places, and you know, be shown not only here at Cascia, but you know, across the world, is something that is so meaningful," said O'Connor.

Holy Family Cathedral downtown is holding a Mass of Thanksgiving on Friday night at 6 p.m. to celebrate.