It’s been a week since Pope Leo XIV was elected at the Conclave of the Cardinals, gathering together to elect the next leader of the Catholic Church, but there’s already been much said about the new professional and what we can expect from his Pope.
He is widely seen as someone who can unite a divided church, but he is expected to continue the legacy of Pope Francis.
However, some conservatives hope that the new pope will embrace a more traditional approach.
His relationship with the United States should also be seen, especially given that some factions within the American Catholic Church are consistent with President Donald Trump’s policies.
“He’s pretty much unknown. That’s the big question,” Father Patrick Mary Brisco, editor of Sunday Visitors, told Euroneuse.
“Bloggers and others responded very strongly. They are nervous about some of the Pope’s political views. For example, there is a bit of concern from the right side of the political spectrum, especially as we saw tweets reacting to Vice President (JD) Vance,” explained Father Briscoe.
“But overall, we don’t know much – this Pope didn’t say much before he was elected, and we just know him.
Some hardlines have even suggested that the new Pope could clash with Trump on many issues. They argue that he does not seem to fully support the political agenda of the US President’s MAGA (“makes America great again”).
But others say the best pope doesn’t side.
“If the Pope was too in line with American politics, it would hinder his mission. The Pope must lead the church, which means leading the universal church, the whole Catholic Church,” Father Brisco said.
“So, if the Pope’s main concern is a particular view on American politics, it harms his mission and role.
