In an age that feels increasingly unpredictable, it is perhaps fitting that history has surprised us once again. The College of Cardinals, after days of deliberation, has elected the first American pope in the nearly 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church. And while the white smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel, the news broke with a mix of disbelief, curiosity, and guarded optimism.
Robert Francis Prevost — now Pope Leo XIV — is not just American by birth; he’s also a man who has lived much of his priestly life far from the geopolitical centers of global Catholicism. Born on the South Side of Chicago and raised in a working-class neighborhood, he entered religious life with the Augustinian order and eventually found his long-term home in Peru, serving the poor, forming clergy, and shepherding a diocese often forgotten by the world’s elite. His bilingualism, bicultural experience, and dual citizenship may well reflect the future of a globalized, polyphonic Church.
Now, at 69, Leo XIV steps into the shoes of the fisherman — and into one of the most demanding roles on Earth — with an unenviable list of challenges awaiting him.
A Pontificate Begins: Continuity and Change
It is often said that every pope is both a break with the past and a continuation of it. That seems particularly true in the case of Leo XIV. He follows Pope Francis, whose decade-long pontificate reoriented much of the Church's internal and external dialogue — emphasizing mercy, reaching out to the peripheries, and challenging entrenched institutional mindsets.
Yet in choosing the name “Leo,” the new pope may be signaling a different lineage of inspiration: Pope Leo XIII, remembered for articulating the Church’s modern social doctrine in Rerum Novarum (1891), which tackled the dignity of labor, the rights of workers, and the perils of both unrestrained capitalism and socialism. That same Leo was also a staunch defender of the Rosary, an intellectual opponent of modernist theology, and a bridge-builder between reason and faith — a synthesis that many today feel is desperately needed in a fragmented, post-truth world.
Whether Leo XIV intends to echo those themes remains to be seen, but the historical resonance is hard to ignore.
A Pastor of Life and Law
Leo XIV is not only a man of the people, he’s also a man of the law. A seasoned canonist, he understands the internal architecture of the Church: its governance, its systems of accountability, and its legal structures — all of which have come under increased scrutiny over the past two decades, particularly in light of the Church’s ongoing struggles with clerical sexual abuse and financial transparency.
But Leo XIV is more than just a Vatican bureaucrat. He is also a missionary at heart, forged in the crucible of frontline ministry in Peru. There, in the dusty streets of Chiclayo, he spoke not just from the pulpit but with the people — engaging, listening, baptizing, burying, and feeding those whom the world has often forgotten.
It is this pastoral credibility that has earned him the benefit of the doubt from many faithful Catholics who might otherwise be wary of another “Francis ally.” It is this same credibility that he’ll need to draw upon as he confronts the Vatican’s labyrinthine bureaucracy and restores confidence in the Church’s ability to govern itself with integrity.
The Culture of Life and a Divided West
Among Pope Leo XIV’s most defining themes is his consistent advocacy for the dignity of human life — from conception to natural death. In multiple homilies over the years, he has spoken with conviction and tenderness about abortion and euthanasia, not as political wedge issues, but as profound moral concerns. His voice echoes the Church's perennial teaching:
“God’s mercy calls us to protect every life, especially those society overlooks — the child yet to be born and the elderly nearing their journey’s end — because each bears Christ’s face.”
In an era where moral relativism often reigns and the sanctity of life is treated as negotiable, these words stand as a bold rebuke to a culture that has lost its moral compass. They are also a reminder that Catholic social teaching isn’t simply about being “left” or “right” — it’s about fidelity to eternal truths that safeguard human dignity.
Unsurprisingly, the media has already begun its cycle of hand-wringing and alarm. The Guardian sounded a familiar note of disapproval, reporting with indignation that Pope Leo XIV has expressed opposition to same-sex marriage and abortion — as though any other position would be expected from the leader of the Roman Catholic Church. One wonders if they’ve read a catechism recently.
Meanwhile, The New York Times has highlighted his remarks in Peru opposing “gender ideology” in schools and his criticism of Western media's promotion of moral norms "at odds with the Gospel." These are hardly surprising positions from a man deeply formed by both scripture and tradition. But for many elites in the West, the idea that the pope might take Christianity seriously continues to come as a shock.
On the Matter of Synodality and Scandal
Not all reactions to Leo XIV’s election have been enthusiastic, even among faithful Catholics. His close association with Pope Francis, particularly on the subject of synodality — the effort to make Church governance more participatory and locally responsive — has drawn concern from traditionalist quarters. Synodality, at its best, fosters greater listening and transparency. At its worst, it threatens to splinter the Church into national or ideological factions.
Furthermore, Leo XIV’s name has appeared in several reports concerning the handling of child abuse allegations during his time in Peru. Although no definitive wrongdoing has been established, the questions linger. For the good of the Church, transparency and thorough investigation are not optional — they are essential. If Leo XIV’s judgment was sound and his actions were righteous, then clarity will only serve to vindicate him. If not, accountability must be the rule.
Liturgical Peace and Doctrinal Fidelity
Another key area of interest will be the new pope’s approach to liturgy — a subject that has become a lightning rod under Francis. The restriction of the Traditional Latin Mass, paired with harsh criticisms of more traditionalist young priests, has left a growing segment of the Church feeling marginalized and bruised.
Here, the new pontiff has a unique opportunity to heal. He could extend an olive branch without undermining unity. He could recognize the growing appeal of reverent liturgy among young Catholics and foster coexistence rather than conflict. There is no contradiction in caring for the poor and embracing beautiful, sacred worship. As the story of Mary of Bethany reminds us, even extravagant gestures of devotion — pouring out oil at the feet of Christ — can be holy.
Let us hope Leo XIV honors both aspects of the Catholic heart: the missionary zeal of the field hospital and the reverent awe of the sanctuary.
The Papacy Beyond Politics
It’s tempting, especially in American media, to cast every pope in terms of political binaries: liberal versus conservative, reformer versus traditionalist, globalist versus nationalist. But this framework does a disservice to the papacy — and to the faith itself.
Christianity, rightly lived, is not comfortably housed within any ideological box. Catholicism contains multitudes. It teaches respect for tradition and insistence on truth, but also mercy, radical forgiveness, and solidarity with the poor. A good pope should make both sides of the aisle uncomfortable at times — not out of inconsistency, but out of fidelity to the Gospel.
As one commentator wisely put it: “If a priest never makes us uncomfortable with our own impulses, he’s probably not doing his entire job.”
Leo XIV, by all early indications, seems poised to be that kind of pope.
A Universal Church for a Fragmented World
As the secular world grows more fractured, more tribal, more nihilistic, the Church’s mission becomes all the more vital. It is called not to echo the world, but to transform it. Not to accommodate error, but to proclaim truth with love. Not to retreat into irrelevance, but to extend Christ’s mercy into every wound of the modern world.
In his first homily, Pope Leo XIV reminded us that the faith is still viewed as absurd in many corners — and precisely for that reason, he urged the faithful to double down on their witness:
“These are contexts where it is not easy to preach the Gospel... Yet, precisely for this reason, they are the places where our missionary outreach is desperately needed.”
It’s early, but signs are promising. In Leo XIV, we may have a pope who preaches not what is fashionable, but what is faithful. A pastor who understands the complexities of our age without compromising the truths handed down from the Apostles. A man who, for all his roots in Chicago and Peru, leads a Church that is truly universal.
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