New Pope Leo XIV.: Revolution or step back for the church?

New Pope Leo XIV.: Revolution or step back for the church?

On May 9, 2025, the news about the world goes: Robert Francis Prevost will be the new Pope under the name Leo XIV and is the first Pope from the USA. His choice takes place after one of the shortest conclavations in the history of the Catholic Church. Within a few less than 24 hours and only four elections, the cardinals managed to agree on the 69-year-old Prevost. This decision marks the beginning of a new era for the Catholic Church, which is faced with significant challenges.

Leo XIV. Born in Chicago, Prevost spent many years as a missionary and bishop in Peru and was most recently head of the Vatican authority for all bishops worldwide. During his first appearance in the Sistine chapel, he wore a red shoulder spread and a gold brocade stole, which is a break with the modest style of Francis. His arrival in a dark electro SUV from VW instead of in the traditional small Fiat 500 underlines this change.

expectations and challenges

The choice of Leo XIV. Expectations are accompanied by both the church and are excited about both the church and worldwide. The Catholic Church faces the urgent need to deal with the consequences of sexual abuse scandals. These scandals have caused great public outrage in recent decades and shaken the credibility of the institution. The new pope election also takes place in a financially tense environment: donations are declining, and the budget has a deficit of $ 94 million, which the church brings into a critical situation, as Time.com In his first speech,

Leo XIV emphasizes that he has empathy for the large number of Catholics and people in the global south who live in extreme poverty. The emphasis on global social issues could certainly lead to the suffering of victims of abuse within the church. It remains to be seen how Leo XIV will encounter the challenge of reconciling these two sensitive topics.

political ambitions and connections

Another aspect that is discussed about Leo XIV is its policy. In his first speech, he spoke Italian and Spanish, but no English, which may show his desired demarcation of certain political currents. Among other things, he criticized the handling of the Trump government with migrants and is contrasting with Trump-Vice JD Vance, which propagates a descending love for others. It is unclear how his relationship with Donald Trump will develop. Nevertheless, Leo XIV could be perceived as a “counterpope” in Trump in the future, which could have significant influence on the Catholic community and beyond.

The new Pope is described as someone who could be ready to react to social and political issues, similar to John Paul II, who was considered an important political actor in the 1980s. The question remains whether Leo XIV will be able to reinforce this influence and at the same time to maintain the reformal spirit of the Church.