Vineeta Rao
Auckland, May 15, 2025
A small puff of white smoke from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel in Rome on 8 May 2025 signified that 133 cardinals gathered in a conclave had elected the new head of the Roman Catholic Church. Cardinal Robert Prevost was announced as the 267th pontiff and assumed the name Leo XIV.
“Peace be with you all,” the new Pope told the cheering crowd from the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica.
The 69-year-old Pope is now the spiritual head of 1.4 billion Catholics around the world after the demise of Pope Francis. Although the cardinal was considered an outsider by many, Indian Newslink had listed the Cardinal as a top contender for the role, given his moderate stance and balanced views.
His election has sparked much speculation about what his tenure might mean for the future of the Catholic Church and its leadership and influence on a host of social issues, including those in his country of birth.
About Pope Leo
Born on 14 September 1955 in Chicago, Illinois, USA, to parents of Franco-Italian descent, Pope Leo XIV spent much of his ministry serving—first as a missionary and later as a bishop—in Peru. His extensive experience in Latin America and his leadership within the Vatican’s Dicastery for Bishops positioned him as a strong candidate for the papacy. His moderate views and ability to walk the line between tradition and progress made him a winner.
The new Pope belongs to the Order of St Augustine, a mendicant order of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the first of his order to be ordained Pope.
Founded in 1244, the Order of St Augustine brought together various groups that followed the teachings of Augustine of Hippo, a theologian of Berber origin. His teachings focus on following Christ, living in harmony, and seeking God through a life of contemplation and prayer.
Prevost entered holy orders as a novitiate of the Order of Saint Augustine in 1977, in St Louis, in the Province of Our Lady of Good Counsel of Chicago and made his first profession on 2 September 1978. He was ordained as a priest in 1982.
He moved to Peru as a missionary in 1985 to work in various rural communities. He was known for working with marginalised people and immersed himself in learning Spanish.
After a brief stint in the US, he returned to Peru again in 1988 to the city of Trujillo, where he trained novitiates and taught canon law.
Prevost served as a bishop in Chiclayo, an impoverished and underdeveloped locality in northwestern Peru, from 2015 to 2023. In 2023, he was made Archbishop, and Pope Francis asked Prevost to head the Vatican office in charge of choosing which priests should serve as Catholic bishops across the globe. He was made Cardinal later that year.
The Significance of the Papal Name
The choice of a papal name is a significant one. It offers insight into the ideology and path that the new pontiff has chosen.
A Vatican spokesman, Matteo Bruni, told global media last Thursday that the erstwhile Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost had chosen to be called Pope Leo XIV to signify his intent to follow in the footsteps of Leo XIII. The last Leo, who was head of the Church from 1878 to 1903, led the Roman Catholic Church through a difficult time, shepherding it into the modern age.
Known fondly as ‘The Pope of Workers’ and ‘The Social Pope’, Leo XIII authored an encyclical or papal letter called Rerum Novarum during the industrial revolution. Papal letters wield significant influence, as they shape doctrine, guide pastoral practice, and influence political and social discourse.
In Rerum Novarum, Pope Leo XIII clearly and methodically outlined the rights of workers to a fair wage, safe working conditions, and the formation of trade unions. In the same letter, while affirming the rights of laypeople to property and free enterprise, he also vociferously criticised both socialism as well as laissez-faire capitalism.
The new Pope’s choice of name, say Vatican watchers, indicates Pope Leo XIV’s determination to follow in Pope Francis’ liberal footsteps, engaging in the social issues of his age but without the polarisation that marked his predecessor’s tenure.
When he was still Cardinal Prevost, Pope Leo XIV regularly spoke his mind about various social issues. In one of his rare media moments in 2023, he said, “Our work is to enlarge the tent and to let everyone know they are welcome inside the Church.”
One of the defining moments of his early papacy was his touching tribute to Pope Francis, where he laid a white rose on his predecessor’s tomb and vowed to uphold his legacy of service. His humility and dedication to the Church’s mission have already earned him praise from cardinals and world leaders alike.
Committed to Social Justice and Peace
Leo XIV has already made headlines with his commitment to social justice, a stance that aligns with Pope Francis’s vision for a more inclusive Church. In his first address, he emphasised the importance of caring for the marginalised, advocating for workers’ rights, and engaging in courageous dialogue with the modern world.
He has also been a vocal critic of the American government, pushing back on American Vice President J D Vance’s interpretation of Christian doctrine to further his widely criticised immigration policy.
In his first Sunday address, the new Vicar of Rome called for peace in Gaza and Ukraine, making it clear that his priorities were with the people. He called for an immediate ceasefire and the distribution of humanitarian aid to the ‘exhausted civilian population’ in Gaza and asked for the release of all hostages.
He also called for peace in Ukraine, saying, “I carry in my heart the sufferings of the beloved Ukrainian people,” adding, “Let everything possible be done to achieve genuine, just and lasting peace as soon as possible.”
Pope Leo XIV welcomed the cessation of hostility between India and Pakistan, telling hundreds of faithful gathered in the square below his balcony at St Peter’s Basilica—echoing Pope Francis’ view—saying, “I, too, address the world’s great powers by repeating the ever-present call, ‘never again war.’”
A Simple Start
Observers noted that the new Pope demonstrated a welcome simplicity rooted in Augustinian teachings as he delivered his first Sunday address yesterday—not from the studio window used by predecessors but from the central balcony. He shed his papal vestments and sceptre, opting instead for his simple white cassock. He also sang the Regina Caeli instead of reciting it.
As Pope Leo XIV embarks on his journey as the leader of 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide, many are eager to see how he will navigate the challenges ahead. His background as a missionary, theologian, and bishop suggests a pontificate rooted in compassion, reform, and engagement with contemporary issues. Pope Leo XIV’s formal installation mass is due next Sunday, 18 May.
Vineeta Rao is an Indian Newslink Reporter based in Auckland.
