The Roman Catholic Church : A New Pope

Anatta Blue Chankhunthod

May 9, 2025

On April 21, 2025, Pope Francis tragically passed away. Eighteen days later, Robert Francis Prevost was elected pope in the 2025 conclave, named Pope Leo XIV. Pope Leo XIV is 69 years old, hailing from Chicago, Illinois. He is the first American-born pope, Augustinian pope, and the first pope born after World War II. He is descended from Creole people of color from New Orleans. His father is of French and Italian descent, while his mother is of Spanish descent. After attaining a mathematics degree from Villanova University in Pennsylvania, he pursued his theological education at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. Being the first American-born Pope, people have raised questions regarding how his background will affect his papacy, as well as how the balance of power within the Church will shift.

Known as “Father Bob” in Chicago, he is described as a humble, gentle, and warm person, known for his constant service Augustinian order and his commitment to serving the marginalized. Pope Leo XIV is known to share similar traits to the late Pope Francis, especially when it comes to environmental preservation and aiding migrants and the impoverished. He recently reposted content on his X account that was critical of United States President Donald Trump’s views on immigration. He also shared messages supporting vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the Black Lives Matter movement. However, there are some concerns about his views on certain topics, such as LGBTQ+ issues, as well as the allowance of same-sex marriage.

Pope Leo XIV’s first words when he appeared on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica were “Peace be with all of you!”. His following speech was in three languages: Italian, Spanish, and Latin. However, Pope Leo XIV is fluent in not only Spanish, Latin, and Italian, but also French and Portuguese, being fluent in five languages. His fluency in five languages leads people to believe that he will go on as Pope to bring people together.

Generally, people want Pope Leo XIV to expand and continue the social justice actions and progressive reforms of his predecessor, Pope Francis. Some also want Pope Leo XIV to embrace the concept of synodality, which revolves around more lay participation in decision-making within the Church. People expect the pope to maintain and strengthen Pope Francis’s commitment to focusing on the environmental crisis plaguing the world. Many hope for Pope Leo XIV to promote diversity within the Church, including those from different cultures, religions, races, and perspectives. 

Overall, many people celebrate Pope Leo XIV’s appointment as Pope and his potential to lead the Church, while others express careful optimism, as there are some uncertainties regarding his personal views on certain hot topics.