8 Big Questions Everyone Has About Pope Leo XIV
AI, gender, tradition, power ~ how will he lead?
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Read our full biography of Pope Leo XIV to learn about his life, ministry, and path to the papacy.
The first American pope.
A former missionary.
A native of Chicago and a Peruvian citizen.
For many Catholics ~ and plenty of non-Catholics ~ his election offers more questions than it answered.
This follow-up piece offers brief, factual responses to the eight most common questions we’ve received since his election in May 2025.
Here are the questions readers want answered:
- Why did he choose the name “Leo XIV”?
- Was he close to Pope Francis?
- What are his main priorities as pope?
- Will he make changes to Church leadership or governance?
- Where does he stand on climate and the environment?
- What is his approach to modern issues like AI, gender, and digital ethics?
- How has he been received globally ~ in the U.S., Latin America, and the Vatican?
- What kind of pope will he be?
Let’s take them one at a time:
1. Why Did Pope Leo XIV Choose His Name?
Pope Leo XIV chose his name to honor Pope Leo XIII, whose 1891 encyclical Rerum Novarum defended workers’ rights during the first Industrial Revolution.
“Pope Leo XIII in his historic Encyclical Rerum Novarum addressed the social question in the context of the first great industrial revolution. In our own day, the Church offers to everyone the treasury of her social teaching in response to another industrial revolution and to developments in the field of artificial intelligence that pose new challenges for the defence of human dignity, justice and labour.”
~ Vatican.va
By taking the name Leo XIV, he’s signaling a renewed focus on Catholic social teaching in the digital age.
2. What Was Pope Leo XIV’s Relationship With Pope Francis?
Cardinal Robert Prevost was a trusted Francis appointee who led the powerful Dicastery for Bishops beginning in 2023.
Pope Francis hand-picked him for the role.
Upon his election, Pope Leo XIV offered this tribute from the St. Peter’s balcony:
“That weak but always courageous voice of Pope Francis who blessed Rome… Allow me to follow up on that same blessing: God cares for us, God loves all of us, and evil will not prevail!”
~ Reuters
“Thank you, Pope Francis!”
~ Reuters
He later confirmed his intent to “continue on the journey” laid out by his predecessor ~
a signal of spiritual and strategic continuity.
3. What Are Pope Leo XIV’s Main Priorities as Leader of the Catholic Church?
In his first address to the cardinals, Leo XIV laid out a missionary, unifying, and justice-focused vision.
He cited values from Evangelii Gaudium and the post-Vatican II reform spirit:
“The return to the primacy of Christ in proclamation; the missionary conversion of the entire Christian community; growth in collegiality and synodality… loving care for the least and the rejected; courageous and trusting dialogue with the contemporary world.”
~ Vatican.va
And from the square in Rome, this image:
“We have to be a church that works together to build bridges and to keep our arms open, like this very piazza, welcoming.”
~ ABC News
His very first words as pope?
“Peace be with all of you.”
~ AP
4. Will Pope Leo XIV Change Catholic Church Leadership or Governance?
Not immediately ~ and not radically.
Pope Leo XIV reconfirmed most top officials, opting for cautious continuity.
“The closest collaborators of the Pope… your support has proved a great comfort to me in accepting a yoke clearly far beyond my own powers.”
~ Vatican.va
He’s a team-builder, not a solo act.
He emphasizes shared leadership and synodality (walking together in the faith), continuing Pope Francis’s reforms on transparency and consultation.
“We want to be a synodal Church, a Church that walks… always seeking peace, charity, and closeness to those who suffer.”
~ Reuters
He’s unlikely to reverse traditional teachings, and change will come through collaboration ~ not edict.
5. Where Does Pope Leo XIV Stand on Climate Change and the Environment?
Strongly aligned with Laudato Si’ and the Francis environmental legacy.
“Today … we live in a world that is burning, both because of global warming and armed conflicts.”
~ Reuters
“We have to pray for the conversion of many people … who still do not see the urgency of caring for our common home.”
~ Reuters
He urged Catholics to speak out ~
“Even when it requires the courage to oppose the destructive power of the princes of this world.”
~ Reuters
He’s likely to continue Francis’s push for emissions cuts, ecological reform, and a “Green Church.”
6. What Is Pope Leo XIV’s Stance on AI, Gender, and Digital Ethics?
Artificial Intelligence
“Artificial intelligence functions as a tool for the good of human beings, not to diminish them or even to replace them.”
~ Reuters
“Our personal life has greater value than any algorithm.”
~ Reuters
He wants ethical tech that uplifts humanity.
Gender and Sexuality
As a bishop in Peru, he opposed “gender ideology” and echoed Church teaching on marriage.
“The promotion of gender ideology is confusing, because it seeks to create genders that don’t exist.”
~ People
Still, he supports Francis’s outreach to LGBT Catholics and is seen as a pastoral centrist.
One insider described him as a
“dignified middle of the road” voice.
Digital Ethics
“We must say ‘no’ to the war of words and images… disarm communication of all prejudice and resentment.”
~ Reuters
Leo XIV wants a truthful and charitable media culture, rooted in dignity over division.
Expect him to speak out on misinformation, polarization, and online cruelty — especially where it harms the poor or the young.
7. How Is Pope Leo XIV Being Received in the U.S., Latin America, and the Vatican?
United States
Widespread celebration of the first American pope.
“An historic and hopeful moment for Catholics in America.”
~ George W. Bush, AP
“A great honor for our country.”
~ Donald Trump, AP
Latin America
He served over 20 years in Peru, and the region claims him proudly.
“A greeting… particularly to my beloved diocese of Chiclayo, in Peru, where a faithful people have accompanied their bishop.”
~ Reuters
Vatican & Rome
The Curia welcomed his gentle tone and message of unity.
“Walk with you, as a united Church… faithful to Jesus Christ, without fear.”
~ Reuters
8. What Kind of Pope Is Leo XIV Expected to Be?
One word comes up again and again:
Pastoral.
“Down-to-earth,” “humble,” “a good listener.”
~ People
“A voice of common sense and practical concerns for the Church’s outreach to the poor.”
~ Reuters
He wants to “enlarge the tent” of the Church and walk side-by-side with his flock.
“With you I am a Christian and for you a bishop.”
~ Reuters
“A missionary Church… always open to receive [people], like this square, with open arms.”
~ Reuters
As Father James Martin put it:
“Kind, open, humble, modest, decisive, hard-working, straightforward, trustworthy, and down-to-earth… A brilliant choice.”
~ People
Pope Leo is likely to be a servant-leader with pastoral instincts.
He is poised to affect steady, forward thinking reforms.
What Do You Think of Pope Leo XIV?
The first American papacy has only just begun.
Will he follow through on climate leadership?
Will his moderate tone unify the Church ~
or frustrate both sides?
Can a pope born in Chicago who cut his teeth in Peru speak for the whole Catholic world?
Will they hear him?