America has a Pope: Leo XIV brings a breath of fresh air to church!

America has a Pope: Leo XIV brings a breath of fresh air to church!

On May 8, 2025, Robert Francis Prevost was elected the first American Pope and bears the name Leo XIV. He is 69 years old and has an impressive career as a missionary in Peru. Prevost is described as moderate and cosmopolitan, which arouses hopes for a more social approach within the Catholic Church. This could be particularly important because the Catholic Church in the United States has struggled with serious abuse scandals in recent years.

DAWN, a US Catholic, was positive about the choice and choice of name of the new Pope. She sees a figure in Prevost, the similarities to Leo XIII. has a pope who has campaigned for social justice. Teresa and her daughter, who live in Washington, are also happy, but emphasize that the Pope's nationality is not decisive.

political reactions

The choice was commented on by various political actors. US President Donald Trump congratulated Leo XIV and described the election as great honor for the United States. Trump, who himself is a Christian, but not a Catholic, has joked about the papal office in the past that did not arrive well everywhere. Nevertheless, he is pleased with the choice and sees this as a positive step for the reputation of the USA.

It is remarkable that Prevost has made critical statements about Trump's Vice JD Vance in the past, which represents a conservative attitude. Vance had visited Pope's predecessor, Pope Francis, in the Vatican to talk about topics such as migration, while Pope Franziskus has repeatedly criticized Trump's migration policy.

The future of the Catholic Church in the USA

The choice of Leo XIV could give the Catholic Church in the USA new weight, even if the Catholic population at around 20 percent does not form the largest Christian denomination in the country. Political scientist Jack A. Goldstone noted that Prevost's career as a Augustinian religious in Latin America will be of crucial importance for his future work.

Goldstone warns of possible conflicts between Prevost's positions on social and ecological questions and the political directions of the US government under Trump. The mayor of Chicago, Brandon Johnson, who congratulated Prevost, joked about the origin of the new Pope and his unique career.

on St. Peter's Square, Leo XIV turned to the believers and expressed words of peace. The ZDF correspondent David Sauer expects the new Pope to continue its pontificate in the tradition of Pope Francis, which awakens hope for a modernized and socially committed church for many Catholics.