With the recent – May 8, 2025 – election of Pope Leo XIV, we find ourselves at the beginning of a new chapter in the unfolding story of Christ’s church. While each papal transition carries its own significance, there’s something about this moment that invites deeper attention. It’s not just a change in leadership—it’s a glimpse into how the Spirit may be stirring Body of Christ in service of the whole world, inviting followers of Jesus to listen, to adapt, and to hope.
Pope Leo XIV—born in South Chicago—is already beginning to capture hearts and imaginations with a quiet strength, grounded spirituality, and a pastoral tone that feels both ancient and new. He carries the name of “Leo,” which evokes echoes of Pope Leo the Great, a bishop of Rome remembered for his theological clarity, his courage in the face of empire, and his deep commitment to the unity of the Church. Choosing this name is no small gesture. It signals, perhaps, a desire to stand at the intersection of history and change—rooted in tradition, yet responsive to the needs of our time.
What stands out in these early days is Pope Leo XIV’s deeply relational way of being. Those who’ve known him speak not first of his intellect or political savvy, but of his capacity to listen. He has a reputation for dwelling with people in their stories, in their questions, and in their pain. He’s known for visiting the margins—refugee camps, under-resourced parishes, places where dignity is often strained—and for making theological education accessible to everyday people. His leadership has not been marked by grandiosity, but by humility. Not by sweeping pronouncements, but by faithful presence.
There’s also a strong ecological sensibility to his work. In recent years, he has written and spoken often of the interconnectedness of all life—drawing on both the Christian contemplative tradition and the sciences. He sees the crises of climate, migration, and political fragmentation not as separate issues, but as symptoms of deeper spiritual disconnection. For him, care for the earth and care for the poor are not parallel concerns—they are the same concern.
I don’t know what shape his papacy will take, nor can we predict the pressures he will face. But I do know this: Pope Leo XIV’s early gestures seem to signal a willingness to walk with us—to bear the weight of leadership not as domination, but as service. He seems committed to drawing the circle wider, inviting more voices to the table, and renewing our shared imagination for what the Church can be in the 21st century.
Let us pray for Leo. And more than that, let us pray with him—for a Church that leads by loving, a world that bends toward justice, and a faith that rises again and again through the ordinary lives of God’s people.
Peace, dwight
