Pope Leo XIV embraces elements of Francis’ vision; some views still unclear

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Pope Leo XIV embraces elements of Francis’ vision; some views still unclear

Pope Leo XIV maintained a close relationship with Pope Francis and support for pro-life values and more...

By Jescie Morrow – News Editor

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Prior to his elevation to the papacy, Pope Leo XIV stayed out of the spotlight on certain reforms backed by his predecessor but maintained a close relationship with Pope Francis and support for pro-life values, the dignity of migrants, care for the environment, and a more synodal Catholic Church.

Leo, formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost, was appointed as bishop of Chiclayo, Peru, in 2015 and took on major leadership roles in the Vatican from 2023 through 2025: prefect for the Dicastery for Bishops, where he provided guidance on appointing bishops and cardinals; and president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, where he oversaw the Vatican’s relations with the Church in the region.

In the past, Leo has been critical of gender ideology, much like Francis. On issues related to homosexuality and same-sex blessings, Leo’s tone was very critical before his appointment as a cardinal but has since appeared to soften.

“He has not been a bishop of a diocese or a cardinal in the Roman Curia for long,” Susan Hanssen, a history professor at the University of Dallas, a Catholic institution, told CNA.

“He is not a ’senior cardinal,’” she said. “It was the choice of a relatively unknown figure.”

Joe Heschmeyer, an apologist at Catholic Answers, told CNA that Leo’s “liturgical motto stresses the need for our unity in Christ, so I have a strong hunch that one of the goals of his pontificate will be to restore more of a sense of unity and order to the Church.”

“One of the things that seems immediately clear about the new Roman pontiff is that he speaks clearly and gently,” he said. “Those are both crucial right now.”