Connecting Continents: The Rise of Pope Leo XIV Amid Controversy
Pope Initiates Intercontinental Connections
Get the latest on Pope Leo XIV, the potential new head of the Catholic Church, born in the USA but a long-time resident of Peru. This man connects the Americas, and soon, the world. Yet, accusations from Peru and abuse victims' associations loom over him.
A North-South Bridge Builder
The cardinals elect a leader to unite Catholics worldwide. Robert Prevost, soon to be Leo XIV, seems promising. Being the first US pope and a Peruvian citizen after Pope Francis from Argentina, he's a signal of things to come.
Prevost embarked on his journey towards the church's summit in Peru, serving as a missionary, priest, teacher, and bishop for two decades. He holds Peruvian citizenship to perform these roles. However, he's spent most of his life away from his birth country, the USA.
Panorama: Not Just Another Francis
The German Latin America aid organization, Adveniat, describes Leo XIV as a "bridge-builder between the Global North and Global South." Father Martin Maier, Adveniat CEO, states that he represents the opposite of Donald Trump, someone who builds bridges, not walls. Leo XIV stands with the poor and marginalized.
Accusations of Cover-up
As bishop in Peru between 2015 and 2023, Prevost frequented remote communities and brought laypeople into social work, said Yolanda Díaz, a teacher and member of the church in Chiclayo, according to the "New York Times." Three-quarters of Peru's population identify as Catholic.
However, Prevost faces accusations from his time in Peru. Three women claimed he covered up abuse cases in his diocese. Sarah Pearson, spokesperson for the victim support network SNAP ("Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests"), expressed concern about Prevost's handling of abuse cases in the past.
Not Without Criticism
Pedro Salinas, a Peruvian investigative journalist, dismissed allegations against Prevost, deeming them baseless. Salinas believes this is a campaign by the ultra-conservative wing of the Catholic Church to discredit Prevost, who they view as too progressive, particularly in his focus on abuse victims.
Victims Demand "Zero Tolerance" from the New Pope
SNAP urges Pope Leo XIV, as the new pope, to address the abuse crisis. They demand a compensation fund for victims, a zero-tolerance policy in church law, and an internal church office to enforce these rules.
The Controversy Continues
Regardless of how Pope Leo XIV handles the abuse crisis, one fact remains: he connects continents. As an American with Peruvian citizenship, he understands the Church's role in poverty-stricken areas, having worked there himself.
The controversy surrounding him is also global, with supporters on both sides. As Leo XIV, he'll represent five continents. Time will tell if these allegations will affect his ability to lead Catholics worldwide.
- Critics have accused Pope Leo XIV, born in the USA but a long-time resident of Peru, of covering up abuse cases in his Peruvian diocese during his tenure from 2015 to 2023.
- Pedros Salinas, a Peruvian investigative journalist, has dismissed these allegations against Pope Leo XIV as baseless, suggesting they are part of an effort by the ultra-conservative wing of the Catholic Church to discredit him for being viewed as too progressive.
- Nonetheless, supporters of the Accusations of Cover-up movement, including the victim support network SNAP, urge Pope Leo XIV to address the abuse crisis within the Church and adopt a zero-tolerance policy, establish a compensation fund for victims, and enforce these rules through an internal church office.
- Despite the controversy surrounding him, Pope Leo XIV, the first US pope and a Peruvian citizen, has been characterized as a "bridge-builder between the Global North and Global South" and someone who stands with the poor and marginalized, connecting continents as he represents the Catholic Church worldwide.
