As 'Born in the U.S.A.' plays, American cardinals in Rome celebrate Pope Leo XIV

ROME (AP) — Speakers blasted songs including “Born in the U.S.A.” and “American Pie” as six cardinal electors from the United States gathered in Rome on Friday to share their thoughts on the election of the first U.S.-born pope, Cardinal Robert Prevost.

“I took a look at Bob ... and he had his head in his hands and I was praying for him, because I couldn’t imagine what happens to a human being when you’re facing something like that," said Cardinal Joseph Tobin of Newark, New Jersey, of the moment right after casting his vote in the Sistine Chapel. “And then when he accepted, it was like it was made for him.”

One day after the Chicago-born Prevost became Pope Leo XIV, the cardinals met on a stage decorated with the Stars and Stripes and a Vatican flag at the Pontifical North American College. The hilltop institution for U.S. seminarians is a short walk from St. Peter’s Basilica, where Leo made his first speech to the world on Thursday evening as the new leader of the Catholic Church’s global faithful of 1.4 billion people.

The cardinals highlighted how his American nationality wasn't a deciding factor, especially in the most geographically diverse conclave in history, though many rejoiced in it.

“The fact that he was born in the United States of America, boy, that’s a sense of pride and gratitude for us,” Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York said.

But Dolan and others added that Leo's experience as an Augustinian as well as ministry in Peru — where he also acquired citizenship — and leading the Vatican's Dicastery for Bishops made him a “citizen of the world."

“In a very real sense, Cardinal Prevost in his life has been at his core a missionary, in every way,” Cardinal Robert McElroy of Washington said.

They also said that Leo could build bridges to all world leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump. U.S. Catholic bishops have had a fraught relationship with Trump, especially over the crackdown on immigration, and Pope Francis had sparred with Trump since he first was a presidential candidate.

But cardinals in the conclave were most concerned with “who among us can bring us together, who among us can strengthen the faith and bring the faith to places where it has grown weak,” Cardinal Wilton Gregory said.

Earlier, the first U.S. Black prelate to assume the rank of cardinal had joked that he and Leo had chatted “from one south sider of Chicago to another.”

The United States had 10 voting cardinals in the conclave, the second-highest number of any country after Italy. Four of them currently serve as archbishops in the U.S. — Blase Cupich of Chicago as well as Dolan, McElroy and Tobin. Joining them were archbishops emeritus Gregory and Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Houston in Texas, as well as French Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the apostolic nuncio to the United States.

They urged the faithful to see the conclave not as a political campaign, but as a grave choice driven by the Holy Spirit for a global spiritual leader.

“This wasn't our first rodeo,” said Dolan, referring to the church's election of more than 260 popes in its 2,000-year history.

He said that the “ecstasy” in the crowd gathered in St. Peter's Square on Thursday night exploded when the much-expected “ Habemus Papam ” — Latin for “we have a pope” — rang out from the loggia, even before the new pope's identity was revealed.

“There will be a man at the window on Sunday ... papa is back," Dolan added, referencing the blessing that popes have long bestowed on the crowds on Sundays, and which Leo — “il papa” in Italian — is scheduled to deliver on May 11. “It’s the office of the successor of St. Peter that endures."

Several of the men referred to the man — who they’ve known for years as Bob or Robert — by his papal name, Leo. On Friday, they joked with each other and the journalists — including Dolan and Tobin saying that the conclave might have have been short, because the first night's meal wasn't conducive to sticking around.

But they highlighted that ultimately what delivered a majority in less than 24 hours stemmed from discernment and the grace of God.

“We were able to treat each other with great respect, to listen to each other during the congregations beforehand, and then when it came time for voting, things seemed to just jell and go in a direction that set us on a path of unity,” Cupich said. “If only the rest of us, in our lives and in the world, could have that mad dash to unity that we seemed to have in conclave.”

Colleen Barry contributed to this report from Soave.

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

From left, U.S. Cardinals, Blase Cupich of Chicago, Joseph Tobin of Newark, and Timothy Dolan of NY, attend a press conference at the North American College in Rome, Friday, May 9, 2025, one day after U.S. Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was elected Pope Leo XIV. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

From right, Cardinals Gregorio Rosa Chavez, Luis Jose Rueda Aparicio and Ruben Salazar Gomez arrive to the Vatican, Friday, May 9, 2025, a day after Pope Leo XIV was elected history's first North American pope. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

The U.S. and Vatican flags are displayed at the North American College in Rome, Friday, May 9, 2025, for a press conference with U.S. cardinals—one day after U.S. Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was elected Pope Leo XIV. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

From left, U.S. Cardinals, Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the USA, Robert McElroy of Washington, and Wilton Gregory, archbishop emeritus of Washington, attend a press conference at the North American College in Rome, Friday, May 9, 2025, one day after U.S. Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was elected Pope Leo XIV. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

From left, U.S. Cardinals Blase Cupich of Chicago, Joseph Tobin of Newark, Timothy Dolan of NY, and Daniel Di Nardo, archbishop emeritus of Galveston Houston, attend a press conference at the North American College in Rome, Friday, May 9, 2025, one day after U.S. Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was elected Pope Leo XIV. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

NEW YORK (AP) — Thousands of nurses in three hospital systems in New York City went on strike Monday after negotiations through the weekend failed to yield breakthroughs in their contract disputes.

The strike was taking place at The Mount Sinai Hospital and two of its satellite campuses, with picket lines forming. The other affected hospitals are NewYork-Presbyterian and Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx.

About 15,000 nurses are involved in the strike, according to New York State Nurses Association.

“After months of bargaining, management refused to make meaningful progress on core issues that nurses have been fighting for: safe staffing for patients, healthcare benefits for nurses, and workplace violence protections,” the union said in a statement issued Monday. “Management at the richest hospitals in New York City are threatening to discontinue or radically cut nurses’ health benefits.”

The strike, which comes during a severe flu season, could potentially force the hospitals to transfer patients, cancel procedures or divert ambulances. It could also put a strain on city hospitals not involved in the contract dispute, as patients avoid the medical centers hit by the strike.

The hospitals involved have been hiring temporary nurses to try and fill the labor gap during the walkout, and said in a statement during negotiations that they would “do whatever is necessary to minimize disruptions.” Montefiore posted a message assuring patients that appointments would be kept.

“NYSNA’s leaders continue to double down on their $3.6 billion in reckless demands, including nearly 40% wage increases, and their troubling proposals like demanding that a nurse not be terminated if found to be compromised by drugs or alcohol while on the job," Montefiore spokesperson Joe Solmonese said Monday after the strike had started. "We remain resolute in our commitment to providing safe and seamless care, regardless of how long the strike may last.”

New York-Presbyterian accused the union of staging a strike to “create disruption,” but said in a statement that it has taken steps to ensure patients receive the care they need.

"We’re ready to keep negotiating a fair and reasonable contract that reflects our respect for our nurses and the critical role they play, and also recognizes the challenging realities of today’s healthcare environment,” the statement said.

The work stoppage is occurring at multiple hospitals simultaneously, but each medical center is negotiating with the union independently. Several other hospitals across the city and in its suburbs reached deals in recent days to avert a possible strike.

The nurses’ demands vary by hospital, but the major issues include staffing levels and workplace safety. The union says hospitals have given nurses unmanageable workloads.

Nurses also want better security measures in the workplace, citing incidents like a an incident last week, when a man with a sharp object barricaded himself in a Brooklyn hospital room and was then killed by police.

The union also wants limitations on hospitals’ use of artificial intelligence.

The nonprofit hospitals involved in the negotiations say they’ve been working to improve staffing levels, but say the union’s demands overall are too costly.

Nurses voted to authorize the strike last month.

Both New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani had expressed concern about the possibility of the strike. As the strike deadline neared, Mamdani urged both sides to keep negotiating and reach a deal that “both honors our nurses and keeps our hospitals open.”

“Our nurses kept this city alive through its hardest moments. Their value is not negotiable,” Mamdani said.

State Attorney General Letitia James voiced similar support, saying "nurses put their lives on the line every day to keep New Yorkers healthy. They should never be forced to choose between their own safety, their patients’ well-being, and a fair contract.”

The last major nursing strike in the city was only three years ago, in 2023. That work stoppage, at Mount Sinai and Montefiore, was short, lasting three days. It resulted in a deal raising pay 19% over three years at those hospitals.

It also led to promised staffing improvements, though the union and hospitals now disagree about how much progress has been made, or whether the hospitals are retreating from staffing guarantees.

Nurses strike outside New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside Mount Sinai West Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside Mount Sinai West Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside Mount Sinai West Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside Mount Sinai West Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

FILE - A medical worker transports a patient at Mount Sinai Hospital, April 1, 2020, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File)