Pope Leo XIV. – a special introduction and summary of his first 100 days written by Sister Laura Baritz and Solène Tadie – a summary of the discussion during the 7th Conservative Ladies’ Breakfast
Pope Leo XIV is the first American pope, formed by Chicago roots, missionary years in Peru, and the Augustinian spirit of unity. He carries himself with quiet strength, preferring to build harmony rather than chase headlines. His motto, In Illo uno unum — “In the one Christ we are one” — captures his identity: a pastor who insists that real unity comes only from Christ.
His choice of the name Leo is itself a program. By invoking Pope Leo XIII, who faced the Industrial Revolution with the landmark encyclical Rerum Novarum, Leo XIV signals his desire to confront the great revolution of our age: artificial intelligence and transhumanism. Just as his predecessor defended the dignity of workers in the factory, Leo XIV wants to defend the dignity of the human person in the digital sphere and at a time of unlimited technological progress. He is preparing an encyclical that could become a compass for navigating this new epoch.
There is continuity with Pope Francis: concern for the poor, openness to synodality (a real one — one that also allows local bishops to let trad communities develop), a global missionary outlook. But there are also marked differences. Francis sought disruption; Leo prefers steadiness. Francis often made bold gestures and ambiguous statements; Leo speaks with greater Christocentrism and composure, as per his Augustinian spirituality. His style is more about reconciling differences without diluting the truth.
Symbols matter deeply to him. By wearing the red mozzetta, restoring papal traditions (moving back to the Apostolic Palace), and highlighting beauty in the liturgy, Leo shows that the papal office is larger than personal taste. Beauty itself has become a pastoral strategy under his watch, and this is significant at a time when conversions in the West are increasingly sparked by the rediscovery of beauty. For Leo XIV, beauty is not decoration — it is a doorway to faith, to the Truth.
In diplomacy, he embodies the role of a bridge-builder. Unlike Francis, who favored grand statements and public gestures, Leo works through personal encounters and quiet listening. He spoke privately with Putin, who described their exchange as constructive, and he met with leaders across the political spectrum, from President Herzog to Matteo Salvini — the latter a figure Francis deliberately avoided. Leo shows openness to meeting anyone, signaling that his priority is dialogue, not political alignment.
The stakes of his pontificate are immense: to heal internal divisions in the Church, to provide a moral compass in the age of artificial intelligence, to rebuild credibility after years of confusion, and to strengthen the Church’s voice as a peacemaker in a fractured world. Above all, Leo XIV insists that the Church must not become an NGO, but remain anchored in Christ, who alone gives unity, dignity, and hope. (Solène Tadie)
Biography of POPE LEO XIV.
Robert Francis Prevost, Born: 1955 Chicago, elected: May 8th, 2025 – Augustinian order, American cardinal – Father: French and Italian origin, mother: Spanish origin – 1977: diploma in mathematics, studied philosophy. Entered the Augustinian order, noviciate. Chicago: diploma in theology, Rome: Angelicum, studied canon law – 1982: ordained to priest in the Augustinian college and in 1984: got his licentiate, between 1985-86: serves in Peru – 1987: PhD dissertation – USA, director of missions, responsible for vocations – 1988: run the formation of postulants in Peru, in the Augustinian order – 1988-92: prior in the order – 1988-98: director and teacher in the order (teaches canon law, patristics, moral theology) and he is the priest of the poor – 1999: prior, director and general in Chicago, in 2007 newly elected – 2014: Pope Francis promotes him to governor and titular bishop – 2015: Pope Francis appoints him to bishop of Chicago – 2018: He is deputy chair of the Bishop Conference, member of the Council of economy, chair of Cultural and Educational committees – 2020: apostolic governor
2023: Pope Francis promotes him to prefect of the bishop dicastery, chair of the papal committee of Latin America, first archbishop, then cardinal; he is member of many dicasteries and committees, member of the Order of Cardinals, situated as high ranked cardinal, promoted by Pope Francis – 2025 April: he ran the rosary on Saint Peter Square for the health of Pope Francis, while he was dying
He was always fascinated by the personality traits of Pope Francis (His trustworthiness, living the gospel, love of the poor and in need, visiting the jails, love of the Church, his service, responsibility and humanity, benevolence, untiring work.) They met many times, each Saturday mornings during the last two years. Pope Francis left the love of the poor to Pope Leo.
His first speech: “peace to all of you!” he spoke of armless, humble peace, he continued the blessing of Pope Francis, namely, that God is love, the evil won’t triumph on us. He spoke of building bridges, dialogue, encounters. Following Augustin’s thoughts, the church must be missionary, inclusive, synodal, striving for peace and love. On the World Youth Meeting this summer he spoke of building a more humane world, of striving for sanctity.
He says that he was elected unworthy, but he does everything for the peace. He ordained Carlo Acutis and Pier Georgio Frassati to be saints stressing the help to the poor and mentioning solidarity. There is a Laudato si farm in the Vatican, with environmental friendly production of olives, grapes, honey, and a possibility of work for former drug dependents and women in danger. Leo opened this operation and moved there. His views: importance of the poor, migrants and the protection of creation. Emphasises the peace, justice, service of the mankind, to strengthen people in faith, to build bridges with the people of good will, to strengthen the dialogue between different religions, respect freedom of religions and building encounters, (like John Paul II.) He accentuates the trust in the providence.
He says, peace begins in the hearts, in the souls, in the self of the person. (Same as John XXIII., in his encyclical Pacem in Terris, 1961, where he describes the origin of peace, which begins in the hearts of the individual person) He emphasises to stop arm production, requires a true disarmament. He maintains families, human dignity, encounter with Jesus and love with the created world, as well. To help those who do not have voice. His message: Peace and hope. He wants to continue the project of Laudato si. And he wants to continue the road that began with the Second Vatican Council and continued by Evangelii Gaudium in 2013, resulting in the synodal church today. His catchword: “In illo Uno Unum” we are one in Him. He wants to render more attention to the social order of the world, to continue the road of pope Leo XIII: Peace, justice, humbleness. According to the cardinals “he is the lion who expels, drives away the wolves.”
Difference and similarity to Pope Francis
Leo supports the communion of the divorced and remarried like, but he is less open to the matters of LMBTQ and just carefully supported the blessing of the members of homosexual couples (document “Fiduica Supplicans”). He speaks of the homosexual way of life and their alternative families and adopted children just with reservation. He criticises Trump’s migration policy and opposes the clericalization of women, the rendering them to deacons. He does not support but at the same time does not refuse the document of Fiduica Supplicans. He supports the synodal church, is advocate of the consultancies between church members and of including lay people into the conversations. His brother John Prevost says, he is the second Pope Francis – not extreme left or right, he stands in the middle.
Leo and Hungary
He was in Hungary in April 2023 when Pope Francis payed an apostolic visit to Hungary as archbishop, he was member of the Vatican delegation. The president of Republic of Hungary, Tamás Sulyok invited him to Hungary during their meeting in Vatican, at the occasion of the initiation of Leo.
Leo and the other Leos in the Church
Saint Leo the Great, the 1st Leo: Church Teacher, Church Father, fighting pope, grounded integrity of the Vatican and the church in the 5th century. Leader of the christologian council of Calcedon.
Leo 2nd: he announced in the year of 680 the doctrines of the Constantinople Council saying that in Christ there is present the human and God-like nature at the same time.
Leo 10th: present at the Lateran council in 1512-17 and excommunicated Martin Luther from the Catholic church in 1521, he is a meaningful pope during the period of reformation.
Leo 12th: take part in the Paris Peace Conference 1814, implemented the reform of the Pontifical State.
Leo 13th: pope for 25 years 1870-90-ies, a political personality, who had successes in the diplomacy, he strengthens the inner life of the church and wrote the encyclical RERUM NOVARUM in 1891.
All Pope Leos had excellent properties, making good decisions, performing lasting, enduring goods.
The name of Pope Leo XIV. refers to Leo XIII., to his social teaching, to the importance of social justice. Leo wants to continue the road of Leo XIII as the era of AI is the same as the industrial revolution in the 19th century. Rerum Novarum has historical importance – it negotiates the social question in the context of the industrial revolution. It protects human dignity, dignity of human work and justice. Rerum Novarum is the 1st encyclical of this kind:
- atrocious injustice, the wealth is concentrated in the hands of few, and the majority of people is poor; the question of private property (it is regarded to be good and necessary, following the theorems of Thomas Aquinas and the previous teachings of the Catholic Church)
- situation of the workers, wages (the own wealth of the worker is good, it connects to his homeland better than the wage labourer. capitalist and workers are not antagonistic enemies, labour without capital and capital without labour is not possible, the class warfare is not necessary, the two classes (capitalists and workers) must make peace in love.
- thoughts about the common good, last paragraph: about Love, as queen of virtues. This is the most meaningful and detailed chapter in the encyclical.
Summary: Leo XIV. is a very promising pope, capable to answer the challenges of our times. (Sister Laura Baritz)
