As of Thursday, May 8th, Robert Francis Prevost, otherwise known as Pope Leo the 14th, has been chosen to serve as the next official Pope of the Vatican. He is the successor of Pope Francis, who recently passed away at the age of 88 years old. The process of electing a new pope has always been complicated and quite secretive, so it served as a surprise when this particular pope was elected. However, who is this key figure and how does his new position affect the stances of the Catholic world? Well, let’s find out.
Before going into any further detail about the newly elected Pope, it’s important to acknowledge the legacy and passing of the late Pope Francis. Pope Francis, otherwise known as Jorge Mario Bergoglio, was born on December 17th, 1936 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was both the first Jesuit and Latin American Pope. His reputation was widely known due to his sincere acts of kindness and love for individuals, regardless of their background or stances in life. He often used his religious platform to bring light to important social issues, such as the treatment of refugees, migrants, the LGBTQ+ community, and women. He thoroughly believed in God’s grace and mercy, emphasizing the importance of every individual in this world. “My people are poor and I am one of them,” Francis famously stated, showing his compassion for innocent men and women, while simultaneously humbling himself. He served as the official Pope from 2013 until his eventual passing on April 21.
Robert Francis Prevost was born on September 14th, 1955 in Chicago, Illinois. Although for most of his early life, he served in the priesthood and devoted his life to religion, he received a BS (Bachelor of Science) degree in mathematics from Villanova University, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He also did missionary work in Peru, earning him dual citizenship in both the United States and Peru. Regardless of his position as the first American Pope in the Vatican, he has hesitations about the current Trump administration. Back in February of the current year, he criticized Vice President J.D. Vance on his stance on immigration after an interview involving the Vice President. He responded with “JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others,” according to NBC News. Back in 2018, he reposted a statement by Cardinal Blase Cupich regarding his criticism of the Trump administration’s family separation policy, during Trump’s first presidential term. He also critisized other issues facing the world today such as the overall potential of AI. According to CBS News, the Pope stated that AI requires immense responsibility, while also stating that it should be used “to ensure that it can be used for the good of all.” However, regardless of his political stances on immigration or Vance, the President congratulated Pope Leo in a statement made on the media platform Truth Social. “It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope,” Trump wrote, “What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!”
The selection of a new pope is always seen as a massive cultural moment, due to its vital influence among Catholics and Christians. What makes the electing process of a new pope as well as the actual election process, better known as the conclave. It is highly important for the pope to have the ability to connect with individuals all over the world, as it is his responsibility to uphold an ancient tradition and highly important reputation and bring as much positive influence to the world as he possibly can.
I am here with Kylie Hamilton-Hill, who although is not a member of the bard community, is knowledgeably prosperous within the context of this issue.
Q: What are your thoughts on the new pope? Is there something distinct about him that stands out from the previous pope?
A: I think he’s great. I think that Pope Leo will follow in the footsteps of Pope Francis in the journey of modernizing the church; I’m optimistic about him.
Q: Did you expect an American Pope to be elected?
A: No, Not at all. I did not think he was in the running.
Q: How do you feel about the Pope’s political opinions? Would you happen to agree, disagree, Neutral, etc?
A: He’s liberal, politically wise, but conservative within the doctrine of the church. I fear he’s conservative in terms of women in the church, their roles, and LGBTQ+, but I think he’s similar to the Pope in terms of humanitarian issues.
Q: Do you think this event serves as a significant part of the history of the pope hood?
A: Yes. He’s the first North American pope.
Pope Leo the 14th serves as a new chapter in the state of the pope hood, in European history, and a major change for Catholics all over the world. Although it’ll take some time to get used to a new pope due to the recent passing of Pope Francis, I’m sure that we can all learn valuable lessons from him.