The cardinals vote for "unity"

Pope Leo XIV

In selecting Cardinal Robert Prevost as the new pope, the world’s cardinals turned to a man who has been an experienced pastor in Latin America, an effective administrator of his Augustinian religious order and a quiet but authoritative advisor to the late Pope Francis.

Pope Leo XIV is the first pope from the United States, a native of Chicago, and although his name had been floated as a candidate, his election is a surprise. But his experience spans several continents – with long service in Peru and in Rome – and in that sense he has a reputation that is more international than “American.” In some ways, his career reflects the globalization of the church's ministry.

Elected twice as prior general of the Augustinian order, which has provinces and missions in 47 countries, he traveled extensively around the world.

As a cardinal, Prevost helped Francis choose the new bishops of the world, one of the most crucial jobs at the Vatican. Perhaps more important to the cardinal electors, he managed to avoid taking sides or pronouncing on many of the hot-button issues that have divided some of them during Francis’ pontificate.

I think Cardinal Prevost was elected in the hope that he will be a bridge-builder between all groups in the church.

Soon after assuming his Vatican position in 2023, he told Vatican News that the lack of unity was a “wound that the church suffers.” He said bishops in particular must work toward communion in the church. No doubt the "unity" message struck a chord with the cardinals who elected him.

I expect Pope Leo to continue the pastoral direction outlined by Francis, but in a more careful way that relies more on consensus building and less on bold initiatives. That being said, it must be remembered that every pope establishes his own identity, sometimes in surprising ways.

What I don't expect is any backtracking or undoing of the many changes that Pope Francis institutionalized, such as tougher punishments for sex abuse, tighter financial controls on Vatican departments, promotion of women to high Vatican positions, and a new role for the Synod of Bishops.

A key issue will be Pope Leo’s follow-through on “synodality” as envisioned by Francis, a process of listening and discernment involving all members of the church in decision-making. In one of his last acts, the late pope approved a three-year implementation phase for the Synod on Synodality, culminating in a major assembly at the Vatican in 2028. So presumably, that’s already on the new pope’s calendar.

As a cardinal, Prevost seemed to have supported Pope Francis’ view of evangelization as more invitational than instructional, and Francis' concept of the church as a “field hospital” that tends to people’s wounds. Cardinal Prevost was once quoted as saying that while the church worries about teaching doctrine, its first duty is to communicate the “beauty and joy of knowing Jesus.”

Pope Leo will no doubt watch his words more carefully than his predecessor, and I expect he will do fewer interviews with journalists. He comes out of the Roman Curia, which has a tradition of tight control over communication and presumes the right to edit remarks, even after the fact. But he does understand the importance of getting the church’s message out, and his fluency in five modern languages will help him.

Following the personable and much-loved Francis will be no easy task. Pope Leo is described as discreet and reserved, and his style will probably be different. But I think he, like Francis, wants to build a more open and welcoming church, a church committed to the poor, and he will bring a sure hand and managerial wisdom to that task.