015: Vivat Papa Leo XIV

Vivat Papa Leo XIV!

So…the unthinkable happened. Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost became the first American pope. Now that I have had a few days to digest the news and learn everything I can about this incredible human being, I would like to dive into my reaction.

I must kick this off by saying that the aura that accompanies the Conclave is simply unmatched. The Litany of Saints, the procession of the cardinals into the Sistine Chapel, “Extras Omnes,” the black smoke, the white smoke, and the most awesome and smug look of all time coming from a one Cardinal Mamberti–nonverbally indicating before stating one word that he was about to drop some serious truth on everyone. Have a look. (26) American Cardinal Robert Prevost announced at pope - YouTube. I love everything about this, by the way.

It was approximately ten minutes later that Cardinal Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, came out to the balcony to greet the faithful. I immediately noticed the traditional papal vestments had returned. This was refreshing. The initial message was beautiful. He recognized the work of Pope Francis, he did something that I cannot even place which made traditional Catholics feel welcomed again, and he vowed a continuation of the missionary spirit (he is “a son of Augustine,” after all) which will forever accompany the legacy of Francis. I will get into more of my initial takeaways in this document, but first I would like to offer my thoughts on why/how this American Cardinal became pope.

Going into the Conclave, the favorite in the media was the Italian Cardinal Parolin. It became clear to anyone with a functioning brain (so, not the mainstream media) that he was unlikely to gain a two-thirds plus one majority. His involvement in a Vatican deal with China became a sore spot, to be sure. There was other baggage as well, but that was the key piece in all likelihood. Cardinal Tagle was another media favorite. This too seemed like a mismatch; while he seems like a charming man, there were some question marks about his modernist approach in an era when much of the Catholic youth is trending orthodox. 

I am still somewhat surprised Cardinal Peter Erdo did not get more attention, despite being in a top five shortlist more often than not. I still think he met much of the criteria and probably would have been fine, but it is also likely that some of the more modernist members of the Conclave would not go for someone as conservative as Erdo. Cardinal Pizzaballa was a late bloomer in the media, as well as with many Catholic faithful. The grumblings from those with some knowledge seem to be that there was concern over his connection to a very politically divisive part of the world. He is, after all, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem. He has maintained a close connection with the Christian community in Gaza and has condemned both sides regularly. For what it is worth, I think he has handled the conflict brilliantly, and I pray that he continues to do so. It is also understandable why the others did not want him bringing this firestorm to Rome.

So with that all said, there was an obvious conservative resistance to Parolin. There was likely a modernist resistance to a few of the other aforementioned. I keep reading of a reference to an effort spearheaded by Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York. Cardinal Dolan is arguably the biggest personality in the Conclave, and he undoubtedly draws attention wherever he goes. He is probably not for everyone, but I get a kick out of him. It is reported that he met with the arch-conservative American Cardinal Burke, along with African Cardinal Robert Sarah–a beloved figure in conservative circles. From what I have read, this took place in advance of the Conclave. It became more and more apparent that Prevost was an exceptional compromise selection who would satisfy traditionalists and modernists alike. This is all somewhat speculation but somewhat connecting the dots based on many reports over the last week.

In retrospect, the ONLY thing preventing Cardinal Prevost from being a top consideration initially was that he is an American. Once we became aware of who he was though, it became clear that he was very well acclimated to the world. Italian media had started referring to him as the least American of the Americans. They are likely referring to the fact that he spent twenty years in Peru as a missionary, has traveled the world otherwise, is fluent in something like five languages (English, Spanish, Italian, French, Portuguese, I think), can read in Latin, and is generally a ridiculously smart human being. Add that he does not carry the same sort of ego most non-Americans are used to seeing from those who are U.S. natives. 

Additionally, he was a perfect selection if the Cardinals were concerned with addressing some of the gaps Francis left–while maintaining the good that he fostered. What I mean by this is that he carries forward the missionary spirit that Francis left. This is abundantly clear from his time in South America. He also has a doctorate in Canon Law. That means an abrupt end has already occurred to this ready-fire-aim mentality of saying whatever comes to mind. This was a point of frustration. 

He majored in mathematics at Villanova. Given the financial challenges facing the Vatican, this pick of Prevost makes sense. I pray that he is able to use his wisdom and surround himself with brilliant minds to address the financial needs. This may also have been an element where being an American actually helped his case. 

This is a good time to begin a segway. I believe that the Cardinals cared about recognizing traditional Catholics. I also believe wholeheartedly that Leo XIV cares deeply about tradition. This was a segment of the religion which, I would say justifiably, felt alienated under Francis. He even referred to young conservative clergy at one point as “little monsters,” which was clearly discouraging. Leo doesn’t want to hurt people. I think it’s clear he has a gentler demeanor, a more receptive ear to discourse, and a beautiful delivery. He cares deeply about the modernists and the modern challenges facing the church. He also cares about traditionalists. As a speaker of Spanish, I can tell you that the word “puente” translates into bridge. So when I saw the new pontiff, a similar sounding word, start talking about being a bridge builder, I looked up if there was a connection. Sure enough, “pontifex” translates into something like bridge builder.

Now, of course, the pope is the direct bridge to Peter who is the bridge to Jesus Christ. But in adding to the meaning of “bridge” in this sense, I also see it as serving as a unification between the different divides in today’s state of Catholicism. I am excited for this, as so many of these divides are downright superficial. How on earth do so many people try to apply the American political lens to 2,000+ years of Catholic doctrine? This is absurd.

As for my thoughts on the first several days, Leo immediately looked the part. One can say that this is not so meaningful. On the surface, that argument holds weight, but so many of the pope’s vestments are meant to present critical symbolism. The red mozzetta Leo wore on the balcony in his first appearance pays homage to the church’s martyrs over its history. The crucifix he wears contains relics of St. Augustine and St. Monica, and several other saints critical to the Augustinian tradition.

His first mass contained notable reverence. He chanted many of the parts (obviously in Latin, given that it is The Vatican) and did so remarkably well. His homily contained many messages rooted deeply in Catholic doctrine. Leo at one point recited a passage from St. Ignatius of Antioch, in which he stated that “I will truly be a disciple of Jesus Christ, when the world no longer sees my body.” This was in advance of his sacrifice, and he wrote this in a letter to the Romans. Much of this homily was about living a Catholic life (although it should apply to Christians of all persuasions) even when difficult. A few lines in it hit me particularly hard. He described “contexts where it is not easy to preach the Gospel and bear witness to its truth, where believers are mocked, opposed, despised, or at best tolerated and pitied.” Later he said, there are many settings in which Jesus, although appreciated as a man, is reduced to a kind of charismatic leader or superman. This is true not only among non-believers but also among many baptized Christians, who thus end up living, at this level, in a state of practical atheism.”

Earlier he hits heavily on the idea that it is easy to be a follower of Christ until one, in essence, has to point the bow into a heavy sea state. And then they depart. 

I should mention that in his first Regina Coeli address, he chanted the prayer. This shocked everyone, as Francis never did this (I hope this doesn’t sound harsh to Francis, it is just that the reverence was noticed from Leo). His remarks were then heavily focused on the military conflicts around the world. I appreciated what Francis did to try to bring peace where there was conflict. I am encouraged to see that this will likely be a major part of the Leo papacy as well.

I will end by saying that Leo XIV found inspiration from Leo XIII, in part due to the times in which we live. Leo XIII wrote “Rerum Novarum” in response to many modern changes taking place in his reign as pope (late 1800’s into the early 1900’s.). It laid the foundation for modern Catholic social teaching. This will be a blog for another day, as I plan on reading it myself and not really taking the word of modern media on what it entails. That said, Leo XIV referenced Leo XIII. The challenges then largely centered around the Industrial Revolution. Today, they center around artificial intelligence, robotics, and human relationships among other things (social media not to be discounted). The church has an obligation to immerse itself in the world but not to cave to it. That is what the previous Leo did, and I think that is what the new one intends to do (though I do not want to ever speak for him). 

The brilliance by which he has navigated the last several days has been remarkable. Truly. The college gave us a good one. The number of black pill trads seems to be a small and diminishing one. The modernists still seem to like him, even after making it abundantly clear that he will return to tradition–at least in some ways. There is a place to embrace the modern world and use the church’s divine power to affect positive change. We cannot lose touch with our roots, however. I am optimistic that Leo is going to strike a beautiful balance.

Blessings. –P.K.