On May 8, 2025, white smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel’s chimney, signaling the election of Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as Pope Leo XIV – the first-ever pope born in the United States. The 69-year-old Chicago native, who also holds Peruvian citizenship, stepped onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica in papal white, greeting a cheering crowd in Italian and Spanish and emphasizing a message of peace. His election marks a historic moment for the 1.4 billion-member Catholic Church, not only because of his American roots, but because he arrives with a reputation as a centrist and bridge-builder in an era of deep divisions within both church and society.
Pope Leo XIV’s life story reflects the global character of today’s Church. Born to a working-class family in Chicago in 1955, Robert Prevost joined the Order of St. Augustine and spent decades as a missionary priest in Peru. Fluent in multiple languages and formed by experiences across the Americas, he earned a doctorate in canon law and later rose to lead his order worldwide. In 2014, Pope Francis appointed him Bishop of Chiclayo in northern Peru, entrusting him with pastoral care far from Rome.
That mix of pastoral heart and canon law expertise would define Prevost’s leadership. By 2023, Francis tapped him to run the Vatican’s powerful Dicastery for Bishops, making Prevost a key adviser in selecting new bishops globally. This role gave him a keen grasp of the Church’s inner workings and signaled Francis’ confidence in his moderate, collegial style. Indeed, an Italian newspaper admiringly dubbed Prevost “the least American of the Americans” – a nod to his soft-spoken diplomacy and global outlook. His strong grounding in Church law reassured conservatives, while his missionary background endeared him to progressives who value attention to the peripheries of the Church.
Standing on the balcony for his first papal blessing, Leo XIV explicitly paid homage to his predecessor. He mentioned Pope Francis repeatedly and vowed to “pick up where the late pope left off,” presenting himself as a continuator rather than a disruptor. “We have to be a church that works together to build bridges and to keep our arms open, like this very piazza, welcoming,” he urged the crowd in Rome.
Those words encapsulate the significance of his rise: Pope Leo XIV is a self-described man of continuity and collegiality. After the dramatic contrasts of the last two pontificates – the traditionalist Benedict XVI followed by the reformist Francis – Leo XIV is widely seen as a moderate balancing figure. His leadership style, by all early accounts, is gentle, prudent, and dialogue-focused, aimed at healing rifts rather than widening them. As he put it just before the conclave, “We can’t stop, we can’t turn back” the progress of the Church; we must discern how the Holy Spirit is guiding the Church “today and tomorrow” in a changing world. This forward-looking but not radical approach sets the tone for his papacy.
Building bridges on LGBTQ+ Inclusion
One of the first tests of Pope Leo’s moderate philosophy will be the Church’s approach to LGBTQ+ inclusion. Catholic doctrine holds that homosexual acts are sinful and bars same-sex marriage, and under church teaching these matters are non-negotiable. Yet recent years have seen increasing calls for pastoral sensitivity toward LGBTQ+ Catholics.
Pope Francis made global headlines in 2013 when he famously asked, “Who am I to judge?” regarding gay individuals seeking God. In his later years, Francis went further, tentatively opening the door for priests to bless same-sex unions (though not perform marriages), writing in 2023 that “we cannot be judges who only deny, push back and exclude”. He urged discernment to see if some forms of blessing could be granted “that do not convey a wrong idea of matrimony,” noting that a blessing is an appeal for God’s help. This marked a compassionate shift, even as formal doctrine remained unchanged.
As a new pope following a progressive trailblazer, Leo XIV is charting a careful middle course on LGBTQ+ issues. Early indications suggest his stance diverges slightly from Francis’ in tone, if not in substance. According to a College of Cardinals report, then-Cardinal Prevost in late 2024 voiced caution about rushing into church-wide acceptance of blessing same-sex couples. He advocated for deeper “conversations between each episcopal conference” – essentially, letting local bishops’ groups worldwide study and handle the question in ways attuned to their cultures. In parts of the world where homosexuality is still criminalized or taboo, he noted, a blanket policy from Rome might be pastorally unworkable. “We’re in very different worlds,” Prevost observed, referring to how, for example, some African nations still impose harsh penalties, even the death penalty, for same-sex relationships.
Such comments signal that Pope Leo XIV will likely take a decentralized, case-by-case approach: encouraging welcome and dialogue with LGBTQ+ individuals, but allowing regional variations in practice. This is a departure in style from Francis’ more top-down symbolic gestures, reflecting Leo’s moderate instinct to seek consensus across a global church.
Yet moderation does not mean indifference. Pope Leo inherits Francis’ legacy of speaking out against anti-LGBTQ persecution. Francis decried laws that criminalize LGBTQ people as “unjust” and repeatedly emphasized the dignity of gay and trans individuals. Leo XIV is expected to uphold this inclusive ethos at least in principle. However, his track record also shows a conservative streak: The New York Times noted that Prevost once lamented how modern media often show “sympathy for beliefs and practices that contradict the gospel”. That 2012 remark hinted at discomfort with rapid social change, suggesting he may not push the envelope much further on doctrinal matters of sexuality.
In sum, on LGBTQ+ inclusion Pope Leo is neither a crusader nor a crusader-against – he seems intent on listening, fostering respectful dialogue, and finding space for pastoral care, without overturning core teachings. It’s a delicate balance, aiming to make LGBTQ Catholics feel acknowledged and loved, even if the Church’s definition of marriage remains one man and one woman. This centrist stand will try to bridge a chasm: between progressives who seek full acceptance of LGBTQ relationships and traditionalists who fear any concession. How well Pope Leo navigates that tightrope could define his legacy as a healer of a polarized Church.
Confronting clerical abuse: Reform under scrutiny
No issue has caused the Catholic Church more pain and scandal in recent decades than the sexual abuse of minors by clergy. Pope Leo XIV faces this crisis as an urgent priority in his in-tray. Francis’s papacy was haunted by the legacy of abuse; while he enacted new protocols and held a global summit on the issue, critics say Francis was initially slow to grasp the scale of the problem. The new pope has vowed continuity in reform, but he also brings personal baggage that observers say he must address head-on to maintain credibility.
Leo XIV has promised to prioritize the protection of children and vulnerable adults in the Church, continuing on the path of zero tolerance. Under Francis, the Vatican toughened its laws and famously declared “zero tolerance” for abusers, defrocking hundreds of priests and holding bishops accountable for cover-ups. Those measures remain in force, and Leo XIV is expected to enforce them rigorously. His moderate, pragmatic leadership style could actually prove effective here: rather than sweeping pronouncements, insiders expect him to methodically ensure that dioceses worldwide implement safeguarding norms – especially in regions where oversight has been lax.
The pope’s challenge is not about new rules but about changing a culture; he must convince a weary public that the Church truly has reformed and that no abuser or complicit superior will escape justice.
However, even as he preaches reform, Pope Leo has already faced scrutiny over his own record on handling abuse cases. Mere weeks before the conclave, an activist group of abuse survivors (SNAP – the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests) filed a complaint at the Vatican alleging that Prevost mishandled two abuse cases in the past.
These accusations have been strenuously denied by Church officials – the Diocese of Chiclayo stated that Bishop Prevost personally met with the victims, initiated a preliminary Church investigation, and referred the case to the Vatican’s doctrinal office. The Vatican investigation reportedly found insufficient evidence to act, and the diocese insists Prevost followed all the guidelines, removing the accused priest from ministry pending inquiry.
In other words, the official line is that he did not cover up at all, but rather handled it by the book. Nonetheless, the episode underscores that trust has to be earned. Survivor advocates question whether Leo XIV will be truly proactive against abuse or inclined to give accused clerics the benefit of the doubt.
Walking this tightrope will test the new pope’s moderate leadership. He cannot appear soft on abusers – the “long shadow” of the abuse crisis demands decisive action. At the same time, his gentle demeanor and adherence to procedure suggest he will aim for fairness and due process, not dramatic public punishment without solid evidence.
Liturgy and tradition: Finding middle ground
Inside the Church, Pope Leo XIV also inherits contentious debates over liturgy and tradition. In recent years, battles over the Mass itself – specifically the older Tridentine (Latin) Mass versus the post-Vatican II liturgy – have become a flashpoint between Catholic traditionalists and progressives. Pope Francis took a hard line in 2021 by reimposing restrictions on the Latin Tridentine Mass (which his predecessor Benedict XVI had liberalized), arguing that uniformity in worship is needed to foster unity.
That move angered traditionalist Catholics attached to the old rites and became a rallying cry for those who saw Francis as trying to “stamp out” tradition. Now, the new pope must decide whether to stay that course or adjust it. All signals suggest Leo XIV will opt for a middle ground approach, seeking to heal liturgical rifts without fully pleasing either extreme.
Pope Leo has not issued any decrees on the liturgy in his young pontificate, but his past comments and character hint at how he might proceed. As an Augustinian friar formed in the reforms of Vatican II, he has consistently celebrated the modern Mass and supported the council’s teachings.
He also has a pragmatic streak. He likely recognizes that liturgical wars can distract from the Church’s mission. Look for him to uphold Francis’s emphasis on unity in worship while also extending an olive branch to traditionalist Catholics in a more conciliatory tone. In practice, that might mean maintaining the current limits on the old Latin Mass (to prevent parallel communities) but encouraging bishops to be pastoral in applying the rules.
Given his centrist philosophy, Pope Leo XIV could stress reverence and beauty in all forms of Catholic liturgy – new or old – rather than championing one form over the other. His goal would be to ensure that the liturgy, whatever the language or rite, remains a source of communion rather than division.
In an interview shortly before becoming pope, Prevost’s words hinted at this balanced perspective. “The message is always the same… but the way to reach today’s people… is different,” he said, emphasizing that the Church must engage the modern world without changing its core Gospel proclamation. This suggests he values both tradition (the unchanging message) and adaptation (finding effective ways to deliver it today). Moreover, his noted expertise in canon law has reassured more doctrinally conservative prelates that he understands the importance of theological clarity. That reassurance could translate into a careful handling of liturgical questions, making sure any changes are theologically sound and gradual.
Immigration and climate: Continuing Francis’ social justice legacy
On the world stage, Pope Leo XIV is already being compared to Pope Francis in terms of a commitment to social justice causes – most notably the plight of migrants and the urgency of climate change. These issues, while not purely religious, have been at the heart of the Catholic Church’s moral voice in the 21st century. Pope Leo appears poised to continue that vocal advocacy, aligning with his predecessor’s compassionate stance and perhaps giving it an American inflection.
Immigration is one arena where Leo XIV’s moderation aligns squarely with moral clarity. As a bishop and cardinal, Prevost witnessed firsthand the suffering of migrants. In Peru, he ministered in a country that has received over a million Venezuelan refugees fleeing economic collapse. Those who know him recount that he “always showed care” for Venezuelan migrants in his midst. It is no surprise, then, that as pope his views on migrants fall in line with Francis’. He believes the Church must have its “arms open” to people fleeing wars, poverty, or persecution – echoing his own inaugural address about a welcoming Church. Francis famously championed migrants’ rights, even when it put him at odds with political leaders. (He pointedly clashed with U.S. President Donald Trump’s hardline immigration policies, urging compassion over exclusion.)
Now Leo XIV faces a geopolitical landscape in which migration will remain a hot-button issue – including another U.S. administration under Trump that is pursuing mass deportations and border crackdowns. Far from shying away, Pope Leo is expected to use the moral platform of the papacy to remind the world that migrants are not statistics or threats, but human beings with God-given dignity. “Your work in defending migrants is deeply rooted in the mission of Christ and the history of the Church,” Pope Francis wrote to American bishops in one of his final letters.
Pope Leo will almost certainly echo that conviction. As a moderate, he may attempt to bridge the divide by engaging leaders on both sides of the immigration debate – encouraging policies that secure borders and protect human dignity. He inherits the Vatican’s active diplomacy on this front, such as efforts to support humanitarian corridors and international agreements on refugees. We can expect Pope Leo XIV to be a persistent, if gentle, advocate for the migrant, carrying forward the biblical call to “welcome the stranger” with the steady tone of a pastor who has seen migration’s human face up close.
A moderate path in a polarized world
Pope Leo XIV’s ascension comes at a time when both the Catholic Church and the wider world are bitterly polarized. Within the Church, ideological factions have been sparring – traditionalist vs progressive, clerical vs lay empowerment – to the point that some warn of a potential schism. In the secular realm, politics in many countries (including his native United States) have become a zero-sum clash of extremes. It is against this backdrop that an unassuming Augustinian from Chicago has become the shepherd of Catholicism. And this raises the question: Can a moderate pope make a difference?
Pope Leo’s early actions and statements suggest he is determined to try, by positioning himself and the Church as a force of unity and dialogue in a divided era.
Globally, the new pope’s moderation could have significant implications. As the first Western Hemisphere pope was Pope Francis, and now the first U.S.-born pope is Leo XIV, the geographic shift itself is symbolic of bridging worlds.
Leo carries an American passport and spent years in Latin America; he straddles the global North and South in his identity. That might uniquely equip him to speak to the divides between rich and poor nations, or between Western cultural debates and Global South perspectives. His centrist approach – listening to all sides, avoiding harsh rhetoric – could make the Vatican a rare meeting ground where opposing parties feel heard.
One Catholic aid leader, Christine Allen of CAFOD, observed that the pope is “one of only a few people in the world who can cross political divides and use his moral influence to help us look beyond narrow self-interests and work together” on common challenges. Indeed, Leo XIV’s papacy may test the soft power of moral authority: can a gentle voice from Rome nudge world leaders toward peace, or encourage societies to care for those on the margins? If he leverages his role well, his moderate style might allow him to mediate in conflicts (much as the Vatican has tried to do in Ukraine or the Middle East), precisely because he’s seen as a balanced figure rather than aligned with any political camp.
Within the Catholic institution, Leo XIV’s moderation is almost certainly an intentional choice by the cardinals to stabilize the ship. After 20 years of seesawing between a staunch traditionalist pope (Benedict) and a bold reformer (Francis), the College of Cardinals opted for a man in the middle – someone who embodies continuity with Francis’s reforms but also has a reassuring touch for those nostalgic for tradition.
This is “what’s so special” about this first American pope: he arrives not as a partisan champion but as a potential unifier. Many Catholics, weary of intramural battles, are hoping Leo XIV can lower the temperature. By being both orthodox in doctrine and compassionate in tone, he might model a type of leadership that transcends the left-right binary.
For example, he preaches welcome for migrants (a view associated with the “Catholic left”) while also expressing love for traditional devotions and clarity in teaching (appealing to the “Catholic right”). Such a blend confounds easy labels – and that’s the point. If he consistently acts as a moderating influence, Pope Leo could help erode the factional mentality, reminding Catholics that they share one faith even amid differing emphases. Thus, his papacy may steer conversations away from the polemical and toward the pastoral.
For the world’s largest Christian church, this moderate course could recalibrate its position in a polarized world. Instead of being seen as aligned with any one faction (either a progressive activist bloc or a conservative reactionary force), the Catholic Church under Leo XIV might reclaim an image as a centrist moral anchor.
In political terms, this could make the Vatican a more credible interlocutor across a spectrum of regimes – from Washington to Beijing, Moscow to Caracas. In ecumenical and interfaith terms, a moderate pope is often easier for other religious leaders to partner with, since he’s perceived as more open and less dogmatic. Leo XIV’s moderate leadership might strengthen the Church’s ability to broker peace and champion universal human values, precisely because he emphasizes dialogue over division.
