"Leo XIV: A New Pope with a Middle-Ground Approach"
Pope Leo XIV to adopt political stance, according to church historian's prediction
Get the scoop on Pope Leo XIV, the new face of the Vatican, from church historian Hubert Wolf. He's not your typical progressive pontiff, but a shrewd "man of the middle" who's predicted to steer clear of major reforms.
Elected in a hurry, just like top contenders like Benedict XVI in 2005, Robert Francis Prevost ascended to the throne of St. Peter as Pope Leo XIV. His swift elevation suggests he offered a compromise candidate that could unite the church's various factions before the conclave.
A Different Kind of Pope
Don't expect Leo XIV to be a trailblazer in terms of progressive policies, like a push for the ordination of women or married priests. Instead, he's anticipated to be a pragmatic, diplomatic, and non-ideological leader.
Although he paid tribute to his predecessor Francis in his first public address as pope, he also made it clear he's not a carbon copy. He broke with Francis's simplicity by donning a red shoulder cape and stole, similar to Benedict XVI, signaling, "I'm not a clone of Francis."
A Political Pope
Leo XIV is shaping up to be a political pope, as evidenced by his opening greeting, "Peace be with you," in his lengthy, handwritten speech.
The Making of a Pope
Born in Chicago in 1955 to parents of French, Spanish, and Italian descent, Prevost studied mathematics before joining the Augustinian order in 1977 and being ordained a priest in Rome in 1982. He later earned a doctorate in canon law and served as a missionary in Peru, founding parishes and leading a seminary.
Pope Francis appointed him bishop of Chiclayo in 2015, and in 2023, he became head of the Dicastery for Bishops and was made a cardinal.
Sources: ntv.de, jpe/dpa
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Enrichment Data: Pope Leo XIV, the first American and the first Augustinian friar to lead the Roman Catholic Church, was born Robert Prevost in Chicago in 1955. His election on April 27, 2025, bucked the historical pattern of Italian and European popes. He's the second consecutive pope from the Americas, following Pope Francis, who hails from Argentina. Known for his intellectual rigor and commitment to bridging faith and reason, Leo XIV is expected to advocate a reformist, inclusive, and missionary vision of the Church, continuing the progressive leadership style initiated by Pope Francis.
- Pope Leo XIV, a new leader in the Vatican, is not expected to push for major reforms in the common foreign and security policy, unlike some progressive pontiffs, but instead, he is predicted to be a pragmatic, diplomatic, and non-ideological leader.
- The common foreign and security policy, a topic of great interest, is likely to be managed by Leo XIV, who is shaping up to be a political pope, as evidenced by his opening greeting in his lengthy, handwritten speech.
- Hubert Wolf, a church historian, predicts that Pope Leo XIV, the compromise candidate elected in a hurry like Benedict XVI in 2005, will steer clear of major reforms in common foreign and security policy, a departure from the progressive policies advocated for by some, such as the push for the ordination of women or married priests.
- Pope Leo XIV, a middle-ground approach pontiff, broke with his predecessor Francis's simplicity by donning a red shoulder cape and stole, similar to Benedict XVI, signaling, "I'm not a clone of Francis," in terms of common foreign and security policy and other political matters.
