Leo XIV: A Leader for a Global Church
On May 8, 2025, Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected as the 267th Pope of the Catholic Church, taking upon the name Leo XIV. Though it has been roughly a week since his papal election as Pope, he has had a vast amount of experience in leadership, communication, and negotiation ever since the beginning of his ecclesiastical career.
Ordained a priest in June 19, 1982, he spent time in between his licentiate and doctorate “as a missionary in Peru” ("Biography of Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost" 2025). A year after obtaining his doctorate he returned to Peru to continue missionary work, taking upon leadership positions in the local community (White 2025). During the pontificate of Benedict XVI, he served as Prior General of the Augustinian order in 1999 and 2007; in 2014, however, Pope Francis appointed him as Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Chiclayo in Peru, and was consecrated bishop the same year (White 2025).
Finally, in 2015 he was appointed Bishop of Chiclayo by the Pope, and in 2023 he was appointed as Prefect of the Dicastery of Bishops and made a cardinal that same year (White 2025). He soon became known for his ability to combine his “pastoral experience in the peripheries with expertise in navigating the complexities of the church's central governance — a rare combination for those seeking a potential pope who shares the priorities of Francis with a greater prioritization on governance” (White 2025).
Leo XIV’s leadership style throughout his career has been characterized as one which prioritizes listening (Sauer 2025). On account of this, he remains faithful to Pope Francis’ advocacy for more participatory structures in the Church (White 2025). He also places emphasis on ecclesial unity, as reflected in his motto In illo uno unum (in the One, one) (Hoyeau 2025). Unlike his predecessor Pope Francis, however, Leo XIV is characterized by a more reserved style of public communication (Rich, Dias, and Horowitz 2025).
Nevertheless, he has maintained a Twitter account as a cardinal, sharing posts critical of the Trump administration and sharing statements on U.S. issues such as racism. More recently, he has spoken out on global conflicts such as the Iran war, drawing various responses from world leaders. As Pope, he continues to maintain accounts on multiple social media platforms. He has also restored the use of traditional vestments discarded by Pope Francis, signaling a greater openness to the Church’s traditional practices.
With regard to his ethical background, he is known as a moderate: while he maintains traditional Catholic teachings on issues such as homosexuality, gender ideology, and the ordination of women; he has expressed progressive positions on climate change and migration (Burga 2025; Rich 2025). However, he is not without controversy: he has faced criticism for the way he dealt with priests accused of sexual abuse during his time in Peru, though supporters say that he is “the target of a smear campaign” by his institutional enemies (Rich 2025).
As a leader of the Church, he would be expected to navigate between conflicts inside and outside the Church: he has already offered to mediate between world conflicts ("Pope Offers to Mediate between World Leaders to End Wars" 2025). He would also be expected to address the growing polarization between traditionalists and progressives within the Catholic Church, especially following the Francis pontificate.
All in all, Leo XIV is a man who is fit for the demands of a 21st-century Church. His ability to balance between innovation and tradition, as well as his missionary experience, can allow the Church to usher in a new era of evangelization; though his track record regarding the sexual abuse crisis in Peru deserves further scrutiny. All things considered, he has proven himself as a leader in the various contexts that he has been placed in, and it is very likely that he will continue to do so for the universal Church in these turbulent times.
References
“Biography of Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost.” 2025. Vatican News. May 8, 2025.
Burga, Solcyré. 2025. “Where Pope Leo Stands on Specific Issues.” Time. May 8, 2025.
Hoyeau, Céline. 2025. “Leo XIV, a Multicultural Pope Seeking a Unified Church.” La Croix International. May 13, 2025.
“Pope Offers to Mediate between World Leaders to End Wars.” 2025. Inquirer. May 14, 2025.
Rich, Motoko. 2025. “There's Never Been a Pope from the U.S.: Could This Cardinal Change That?” The New York Times. May 2, 2025.
Rich, Motoko, Elizabeth Dias, and Jason Horowitz. 2025. “Pope Leo XIV, the First American Pontiff, Took a Global Route to the Top Post.” The New York Times. May 9, 2025.
Sauer, Megan. 2025. “How Pope Leo XIV Leads: A Quiet, Pragmatic Listener Who Seeks Opinions from Even the ‘Simplest Person’.” CNBC. May 12, 2025.
White, Christopher. 2025. “The First American Pope? This Cardinal Has the Best Chance of Making History in this Conclave.” National Catholic Reporter. April 30, 2025.
