After less than two days, the College of Cardinals has elected a new Pope. Robert Francis Prevost has assumed the name Pope Leo XIV, over a century since the last Pope took the name. Pope Leo’s appointment was a shock to the world, as he was the very first American Pope. Pope Leo is a member of the Order of Saint Augustine, a mendicant order founded in 1244 under the teachings of Saint Augustine of Hippo through his religious guide, the Rule of Saint Augustine.

As mentioned above, Pope Leo is an American, which has caused some Catholics to be somewhat disturbed by the conclave’s result. However, despite being born in Chicago and being a White Sox fan, Pope Leo has dual citizenship in Peru and has spent nearly 40 years serving the people there. His missionary work began in 1985, and he was eventually named the Bishop of Chiclayo, the fourth-largest city in Peru, in 2015. 

Pope Leo is considered to be a centrist in the Catholic church. In the past, he has been open about his belief that marriage is between a man and a woman, but recently, he has been less outspoken, especially after the Fiducia Supplicans, a document that discusses same-sex marriages within the Catholic church. He has been an advocate for local interpretations of the document and for bishops to consider local cultural differences when applying the document. 

Similarly, Pope Leo does not believe in ordaining women, however, he does support women taking higher roles in the church. He believes that their perspectives are useful in informing the church’s decisions. So, while the new Pope is less progressive than some candidates for the papacy were, he is still more progressive than some of the front-runners for the role. 

Despite being more conservative than Pope Francis, and the criticisms of him being an American, Pope Leo XIV has a bright future ahead of him, which all of the Catholic church should look forward to. Habemus Papam!