Leo XIV – A Vatican Insider Pope from the First and Third Worlds

An American Pope from Peru. There had always been hopes for a Pope from the first world or a Pope from the third world. There was always a lot of talk about why an American could not become Pope. Of course there was always talk that a Pope could never be a Jesuit and we saw how that turned out with Pope Francis…

So here we are today with a “hybrid” Pope. An Augustinian priest from Chicago and bishop from Peru. Cardinal Robert Prevost of Chicago is now Pope Leo the 14th. He was made a cardinal only recently, after having spent a significant amount of time in the department (or Dicastery) that chooses bishops. Interestingly, at the Dicastery of Bishops he chose three women to participate in the process of actually naming bishops. So perhaps the new Pope is actually a  “three-for-one,” or “three-ferr” as we say in American English, since he is also an Italian-speaking Vatican insider. Curiously, he did not use English in his opening remarks, which were in Italian and Spanish. Perhaps that was his way of sneaking under the radar.

The name Leo the 14th (XIV) is certainly evocative of Pope Leo the 13th (XIII) who gave us our contemporary approach to social justice and its priority in papal teaching. Leo XIII favored the rights of working people and the formation of trade unions in the late 19th century in the context of the Industrial Revolution. As we move beyond the digital age into the age of artificial intelligence, it seems probable that Leo XIV will chart a course not unlike that of Francis. To be sure, there will be no significant change with regard to matters of sexual morality, reproductive issues, and LGBTQ inclusion in the Church. There will also be a certain continuity with regard to social justice and environmental issues. Statements on his X account have not shied away from criticizing the Trump Administration on immigration and educating Catholic convert, Vice President JD Vance, about the our universal obligation to love everyone.

Perhaps my most candid reaction is to borrow a figure of speech from my Northwestern in laws, “Who’d a ever thunk it?” In any case it is an impetus for me to renew my faith in the Holy Spirit. So let’s say a prayer of thanks for Pope Leo and the Divine’s sense of surprise!