On the evening of June 19, the Sheen Center for Thought & Culture in Lower Manhattan hosted a sold-out event titled “Between Two Popes: Reflections on the Conclave,” offering a rare and personal glimpse into the sacred process that led to the election of Pope Leo XIV.

The featured speaker was Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York, who had recently returned from Rome, where he participated in the conclave that elected the new pontiff following the death of Pope Francis.

The audience was composed largely of pilgrims from the Archdiocese of New York who had traveled to Rome with Cardinal Dolan as part of a long-planned Jubilee Year of Hope pilgrimage. Pope Francis died unexpectedly on the Monday before their departure. The pilgrimage went ahead as scheduled the following day, placing the group in Rome for both the funeral of Pope Francis and the historic conclave that followed.

At the Sheen Center, Cardinal Dolan shared candid reflections on the days that followed, offering insights into the discernment process and what made Pope Leo XIV stand out among the cardinals. “He came across as a calm, quiet, prudent, listening, sensitive…measured,” Dolan said. “He listened. He would decide.”

His Eminence spoke of Pope Leo’s pastoral roots and global experience from missionary work in Peru and leadership of the Augustinian order, to his role as Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops. “He had a huge knowledge of the church universal, ”Dolan said, noting that the Pope had even become a Peruvian citizen out of love for the people he served.

Cardinal Dolan also reflected with affection on Pope Francis: “We love Pope Francis…He was kind of unpredictable, kind of impetuous, could be a bit impulsive–all likable, lovable qualities,” he said.

The event included commentary from Bishop Edmund Whalen, Auxiliary Bishop of New York, and Fox News anchor Martha MacCallum, along with panelists Joseph Zwilling, longtime spokesperson for the archdiocese, and SiriusXM’s Lino Rulli.

For many in the audience, the evening offered a meaningful conclusion to an unforgettable pilgrimage–one that became history in real time.