Someone’s written a book about Pope Leo XIV: “León XIV: ciudadano del mundo, misionero del siglo XXI”; or “Leo XIV: Citizen of the World, Missionary of the 21st Century”.
The book, in Spanish, was released today, September 18, 2025. I gather it’ll be available in English next year.
A whiff of this biography, and a recent interview, popped up in my news feed, along with the usual sound and fury. Since I prefer reading specifically “Catholic” news through outlets that aren’t marinated in my native culture, I did a little digging and came up with this:
“I Appreciate Everyone” — But —
“Pope Leo sees role as one of building bridges, avoiding polarization”
Salvatore Cernuzio, Vatican News (September 18, 2025)“…Asked about how he sees the papacy, Pope Leo highlighted the ‘pastoral part’ of his new role, especially the ‘outreach to people of all ages.’ ‘I appreciate everyone, whoever they are, what they come with, and I listen to them… So, there’s an aspect of being pastor of the universal Church that I think is very significant, and I think one of the things people appreciate is that,’ he said….
“…What is new, he said, is his role as a world leader. ‘I’m learning a lot about how the Holy See has had a role in the diplomatic world for many years,’ he said. ‘I’ve always tried to stay up on the news, but the role of pope is certainly new to me.’ Here, too, he said, ‘I’m learning a lot and feeling very challenged, but not overwhelmed.” …”
Nothing really surprising there, which didn’t surprise me a bit.
Vatican News doesn’t try being ‘dramatic’ in the American sense, and I expected that our 267th pope would be Catholic.
Two other outlets, closer to home, said pretty much what the Vatican News piece did, although from a more ‘American’ viewpoint:
- “In interview, pope talks about abuse crisis, Trump, following Pope Francis”
Cindy Wooden, CNS, via USCCB News (September 18, 2025) - “Pope Leo XIV: My priority is the Gospel, not solving the world’s problems”
Hannah Brockhaus, Catholic News Agency (September 18, 2025)
Pope Leo XIV isn’t telling Catholics we must vote for one party and demonize the other, or that that either we must live as if it’s 1950 or embrace whatever wacky notion is top of the charts this month.
So I expect a fair number of us will be loudly horrified, shocked, and appalled.
Not necessarily in that order.
One of those American news outlets used the LGBT acronym in referencing the political angle of a particular wacky notion, the other LGBTQ.
In both cases, and since he’s repeating what we’ve been told about people, I figure the usual suspects on all sides will express the usual angst. Again, no surprises.
First Pope From the United States: it Matters, a Little
“…Asked about the significance, ‘on the geopolitical level,’ of being the first Pope from the United States, Pope Leo responded by saying, ‘First of all, I hope that it will make a difference eventually with the bishops of the United States.’
“With regard to ‘some of the things that have been said’ about the U.S. episcopate and the relationship between the Church and politics, the Pope said, ‘The fact that I am American means, among other things, that people cannot say, as they did with Francis, “he does not understand the United States, he simply does not see what is happening.”‘
“However, Pope Leo stated clearly, ‘I don’t plan to get involved in partisan politics.’…”
(“Pope Leo sees role as one of building bridges, avoiding polarization”
Salvatore Cernuzio, Vatican News (September 18, 2025))
Some of what the Church says and has been saying, like ‘killing an innocent person is a bad idea’, and ‘people deserve respect’, are hot button political topics. Sooner or later, if he’s doing his job, Pope Leo XIV will offend someone.
And, unless news media over here changes — a lot — I expect the occasional headline about what the pope said. Then I’ll look for a less dramatic version of what the pope actually said.
More about how I see popes, the news, and being Catholic:
- “Electing a Pope: Current Events, Ancient Heritage”
(May 3, 2025) - “Truth, Beauty, and the Evening News”
(June 15, 2024) - “The Pope, Same-Sex Couples, an Informative Link: and Headlines”
(December 19, 2023) - “Pope Francis, Politics and Being Catholic: Briefly”
(August 28, 2023) - “Pope Francis and an Open Catholic Church”
(August 12, 2023)
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I could say that not aiming to solve the world’s problems is a stupid thing to say, but when I think about how easy it is to inject pride rather than love into the idea of solving the world’s problems and how collective selfishness is an actual form of selfishness, I see the wisdom in Pope Leo XIV’s words, and even more so as I remember how the Lord worked on earth way less politically than what his fellow Jews expected. After all, being forgiving rather than enabling isn’t “good politics” and “Old Testament Godliness,” right?
I see what you man – – – Checking the CNA article, looking for context –
—–
“Pope Leo XIV said his primary role as leader of the Church is confirming Catholics in their faith and sharing the Gospel with the world, not resolving global crises.
“Speaking to Crux senior correspondent Elise Ann Allen in the first sit-down interview of his pontificate, Leo also said he was ‘trying not to continue to polarize or promote polarization in the Church.’
“‘I don’t see my primary role as trying to be the solver of the world’s problems. I don’t see my role as that at all, really, although I think that the Church has a voice, a message that needs to continue to be preached, to be spoken and spoken loudly,’ he said….”
—–
I’d have to do a careful read of a transcript of that interview to be sure – but my guess is that, as you said, Leo XIV was talking about our Lord’s example of being less political and more – well, focused on what actually matters.
Besides – focusing on sharing the Gospel sounds like a good idea. In large part because, and I’m pretty sure I’m right about this, if more folks learned what Jesus actually said – took it seriously – decided that believing it makes sense – and deciding to act like what we believe matters – – – – –
Yeah. Getting to that point will be a long haul. But I think working toward that goal is a good idea.
I’m just glad that, over here, both of the major political parties have eased up on the ‘God agrees with us’ approach. That’s a reason I do not miss ‘the good old days’, and that’s another topic.
The “God agrees with us” mindset does smell of massive pride, which wouldn’t really do in the faith, especially not when we have the humiliated Christ as our face. And Christ didn’t really die spouting spite either, as He died seeking our redemption, both calling us out and calling us back, the latter being something we tend to leave out of our efforts to promote whatever we consider good, and it’s not the first time he hit us with that combo. Such consistency from Our Lord, indeed.
“…wouldn’t really do….” – Indeed, no, it wouldn’t.
Remembering the high standard our Lord set – not easy. And, after two millennia, still a good idea.