Habemus Papam: We have a Pope

By Philip Mudartha
Bellevision Media Network

09 May 2025: Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost has been elected as the first US-born pontiff and will be known as Pope Leo XIV. Leo made his first remarks as pope from the loggia (balcony) of St. Peter’s Basilica in front of tens of thousands of onlookers, calling for peace and paying tribute to the late Pope Francis. He said the church should “build bridges” and “welcome everyone”.

 

 

The conclave to elect the successor to Pope Francis was convened on May 7 beginning with a solemn mass in St. Peter’s Basilica.  The pope was elected by 133 voting cardinals on the afternoon of second day in their fifth ballot. As is customary, white smoke appeared from the chimney atop the Sistine Chapel signaling a pope is elected.

 

We have a Pope:

Cardinal Proto-Deacon Dominique Mamberti of France announced in Latin “Habemus Papam”, we have a Pope. Then baptismal name of the elected pontiff and the name the new pope has chosen was declared. Thereafter, the Pope appeared on the loggia of the Apostolic Palace in traditional papal vestments. He greeted the waiting crowd and delivered his fist remarks as pope.

 

 

“Greetings … to all of you, and in particular, to my beloved diocese of Chiclayo in Peru, where a faithful people have accompanied their bishop, shared their faith,” he said in Spanish. He was bishop of Chiclayo in Peru since 2015 and acquired Peruvian citizenship.

 

About Pope Leo XIV: 

Leo, a 69-year-old born in Chicago, belongs to the Order of St. Augustine. His career as a missionary in Peru spanned almost three decades until Pope Francis appointed him as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops in 2023. This is a powerful department in Vatican which vets candidates for Bishops, selects and recommends their appointments. As prefect, he became the President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. Francis created him a cardinal in the same year.

 

Is Leo XIV a socialist?

What’s in a name? Why did he choose the papal name Leo? Did he signal that he is committed to the welfare of global workforce like Leo XIII?

 

Leo XIII was pope from 1878 to 1903. His 1891 encyclical “Rerum Novarum,” strongly defended the rights of working people to a living wage. Thus he set the tone for the church’s modern social doctrine. He became known as the “pope of the workers.”

 

 

Does Leo XIV want to strike a balance between Latin American socialism and American laissez-faire, free market capitalism? Many experts believe so.

 

But his critics have labelled him a “communist turd”.

 

Is Leo XIV a liberal? 

Because Francis advocated environmental preservation and service of the world’s poor and suffering populations, many believe that he was a liberal and a reformer. Naturally, the question asked is: will Leo XIV advance the legacy of Francis? Prevost’s background is that of a liberal: as a missionary in northern Peru, he had served a community of poor subsistence farmers. He has first-hand experience of havocs caused by floods in Peru.

 

People close to him believe that Leo XIV will live humbly, shirking the pomp and grandeur that accompany the position. But his choice of traditional papal vestments when he appeared on the loggia as new pope created doubts.

 

 

Church policy on climate change:

Prevost had advocated for stronger Church action against climate change, stating in a November 2024 seminar that "dominion over nature" should not be "tyrannical".

 

Church policy on women priests:

Prevost had argued that the ordination of women "doesn’t necessarily solve a problem" and could create a “new problem”. Though, Francis assigned a few key administrative and leadership roles to women, he did not endorse their ordination as priests. Leo XIV is unlikely to differ with Francis. The advocates of women priesthood will have to wait!

 

Ideology: doctrine versus appeasement: 

Italian newspaper la Repubblica had stated that Prevost was a "cosmopolitan" figure and "appreciated by conservatives and progressives". Prevost opposes euthanasia, abortion, and the death penalty. He supported Venezuelan refugees in Peru during his time in Chiclayo. He expressed sympathy for George Floyd, the African American who was murdered by a white police officer. He has criticized U.S. immigration policies under President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance.

 

 

As bishop of Chiclayo, he opposed "gender ideology" in Peruvian school curricula, stating it promotes "genders that don’t exist". What message does this send to LGBTQ+ Catholics? In 2012, he criticized popular culture’s sympathy for the "homosexual lifestyle" and same-sex families. As Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops in 2024, Prevost also expressed concerns about the declaration “Fiducia supplicans”, under which Francis approved Eucharist for divorced, remarried, live-in couples, and allowed priests to bless same-sex couples.

 

What will be his position on family issues?

Artificial birth control, abortion, divorce, church sacraments to divorced laity, inter-religious marriages, married priests, sexuality of celibate priests and homosexuals, AIDS, surrogate motherhood and a host of other burning family issues are crying out for papal attention. The church dogma is quite clearly “very conservative”. There is no doubt the millennial and Gen-Z have turned away from the church due to the dogmatic approach of past popes. Will he stick to dogma or engineer change?

 

 

There are accusations that as a bishop in Peru, he did not forcefully investigate priests accused of sexual abuse. More mud- slinging is expected sooner than later.

 

Will he be a good money manager?  

Prevost had said that episcopal leadership should prioritize faith over administration. His faith in the Lord and Jesus Christ is proven but what about his understanding of Vatican finances? Does he know from where money comes and where it goes? The Vatileaks had exposed a lot more than power struggles inside Vatican Curia, divisions on response to sexual scandals, and scandal about money. How would he manage money for investments and charities? How will he balance his priorities with respect to faith and administration? Pope Benedict resigned because he saw himself a failure at being a manager.

 

 

Most of the money loss has come from American court judgments against the priestly sex offenders in parishes under their control. How would as an American Pope, he would deal with similar American court cases?

 

Would he opt for voluntary celibacy by priests? 

 

Is he politically astute?

Pope John Paul was politically very astute. He oversaw dismantling of Soviet Union in league with American Conservatives.

 

 

He gave a different interpretation of Vatican Council II reforms and attempted to undo some of them to the dismay of liberal clergy and laity. Remember that Pope Paul VI, his successor John Paul I and Pope Francis were liberals who had little interest in geo-political power games.

 

Cardinal Ratzinger as Pope Benedict XVI was the best theologian but the worst administrator. The Muslim world miss-quoted his reference to a medieval Byzantine emperor’s views on Islam and Prophet Mohammed which created a diplomatic row between the Holy See and Islamic nations.  Francis differed with the Republican leaders of the US, especially Trump, but managed to be a diplomat. Will Leo XIV succeed like Francis, with Trump again in the White House?