The election of Pope Leo XIV, the first pope born in the United States, was welcomed with optimism by Catholics across both liberal and conservative viewpoints.Many hope that the new pontiff can bring unity and reduce tensions among different groups within the Church.Catholics with liberal views are hopeful that Pope Leo XIV will carry forward Pope Francis’ legacy, especially his focus on helping the poor, immigrants, and marginalised communities. They also hope he will speak out against Trump administration policies that conflict with their values.Catholics belonging to the conservative stance believe that Pope Leo will firmly uphold traditional Church doctrines, particularly its teachings against abortion, same-sex marriage, and the ordination of women.
Operation Sindoor
One of the key reasons for this hopeful outlook is Leo’s strong message of unity. His motto and early remarks have emphasised bringing people together within the global Church. “He will be a good force for unity in the Church. Even with differences of opinion and different ideas of strategy and so forth, we can have unity in the church,” said San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone, describing Leo as a “bridge builder.”The announcement of a US-born citizen being elected as the next pope came as a surprise to many, including John McGreevy, a historian of Catholicism, who thought a US-born pope was highly unlikely. However, he noted that Pope Leo has had a global journey—serving in Peru, working in the Vatican, and leading an international religious order. “He is a global catholic citizen,” McGreevy said. He added, “Even though he’s an American, and we’re super proud that he’s American, it’s hard to think of someone more embedded in a lot of the global church.”A major issue during Pope Francis’ time was how the Church handled Catholic politicians who support abortion rights, such as former US President Joe Biden and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.Pope Francis allowed Biden to receive Communion (holy supper of the Lord), even though some bishops disagreed because he supported abortion rights. Pope Leo’s past sermons, where he spoke about protecting life from the unborn to the elderly, have reassured abortion opponents like US Representative Chris Smith, a New Jersey Republican.At the same time, reproductive rights groups like Catholics for Choice acknowledged Leo’s opposition to abortion but still hope he will take a more inclusive and compassionate approach to issues like birth control, IVF and reproductive health.The role of women in the Church is still a major issue. Pope Francis gave women more leadership roles but did not allow them to become priests or deacons. Supporters of women’s ordination are watching Pope Leo closely. Ellie Hidalgo from Discerning Deacons said his past words showed humility and a commitment to service. The Women’s Ordination Conference also hopes he will engage in an open dialogue with Catholic women.Pope Francis helped shape Pope Leo XIV’s path by entrusting him with key roles in Peru and later at the Vatican, where he oversaw the appointment of bishops. Experts believe Pope Leo will likely continue Francis’ trend of selecting bishops who focus more on caring for people rather than strictly enforcing rules.Many were worried that having a pope from the US might give the country too much influence in the Catholic Church, especially because of its power as a global superpower. They expect Leo to focus on Church teachings, particularly on important global issues like migration and climate change, rather than favoring any one country’s interests.
