Opinion with Michael Coren Cynicism is so easy these days, especially in the world of politics and religion, but it would have taken a hard heart to not have been moved earlier this year by the sight of the obviously nervous, emotional, surely overwhelmed Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost on the Vatican balcony accepting the papacy as Leo XIV. And, as we relax a little during the summer, it’s good to know that at least one of the world’s leaders has a good head on his shoulders and will work towards something that is noble and bettering. He was made a cardinal by the late Pope Francis two years ago, and the 69-year-old Chicago-born priest is the former leader of the Augustinian order and a renowned and multilingual diplomat, serving for many years in Peru. He also presided over one of the most radical reforms made by Francis, when three women were added to the voting bloc that decides which bishop nominations are forwarded to the pope. It may seem a small edit by secular standards but, within the Roman Catholic church, this was profound. That he’s an American is a surprise, with Rome being traditionally opposed to the idea of a pontiff from the U.S., even though the Italian newspaper La Repubblica described him as “the least American of the Americans.” It’s impossible to know what was behind the conclave’s decision but, in this time of Trump and his antics, and a superpower gone mad, an American pope – in some ways a counterweight – who speaks of peace and justice is exquisite. It’s also far from unimportant that the man can deliver his thoughts in perfect English, which hasn’t been the case with the papacy for many centuries. His choice of name is also significant. The last pope who used it was Leo XIII, an intellectual whose 1891 encyclical Rerum Novarum championed the rights of workers to fair wages, safe working conditions and union membership. The church, he insisted, had to be relevant and politically involved. That was a transformative act. The new Pope is very much in that tradition of social and economic justice, and it’s one of the reasons why Francis advanced him and made it known that the American had papal blessing. In fact, while Cardinal Prevost had a relatively low public profile, he was highly regarded by those with power and influence, including many of those who formed the conclave. His record is not all positive, and Prevost has been criticized by clergy-abuse survivors regarding his handling of allegations during his leadership in the Augustinian order and in Peru. It’s a criticism that could also be made of Pope Francis, but it’s highly likely that we’ll now see constructive and vital changes in this area, particularly as it could well be a relatively long pontificate. Leo XIII was elected in 1878 and served until his death in 1903! That possibility will not be pleasing to some in the church. Politically and theologically conservative Catholics gritted their teeth during Francis’ time and hoped and prayed that his successor would be more conservative. They’ll be extremely disappointed with the new choice and, while they’re a minority within the church, they tend to have money and influence, especially in the U.S. Think of Vice-President JD Vance and you’ll understand the problem and the divide. The American Pope Leo is arguably more aware of all of this than was the Argentinian Pope Francis, and that’s for the good. If the church’s reformist agenda is to continue, the Vatican can’t waste time looking in some reactionary mirror and worrying about various criticisms and complaints. What the Catholic right wing will do, whether some of them will leave the Roman Catholic church for a breakaway sect or even eastern Orthodoxy is, in the long run, immaterial. Christian or not, Catholic or not, this new reign is one of possibilities and promise. A good man, a considerate man, a prayerful man is now the Bishop of Rome, shaping the life of a church of 1.4 billion people – and so many beyond. With the threat of nuclear war, the triumph of the bully and the thug in international relations and a horribly widespread feeling of despair, Leo XIV assumes the throne of Peter at a crucial and fragile time. God give him the strength to speak immutable love and to stand against the dark waves of hatred. It won’t be easy, it’ll be exhausting and tough, but God bless him. CSANews | SUMMER 2025 | 15
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