Barely hours after Leo XIV was elected the first pontiff from the United States, a flurry of excitement erupted. The Chicago Cubs wasted no time, posting a congratulatory message on social media, complete with a digital billboard outside Wrigley Field proudly declaring, “Hey, Chicago, he’s a Cubs fan!” However, the Cubs’ local rivals, the White Sox, quickly reclaimed bragging rights. The pope’s own brother clarified to a local news station that His Holiness had always been a devoted Sox fan. Pope Leo XIV later personally confirmed his loyalty to the White Sox in a video message sent for a gathering at Rate Field in Chicago. Yet, on the profound and often divisive issues facing the Catholic Church, Leo has consistently maintained a public neutrality. This has led many followers to project their diverse hopes and expectations onto a pontiff who, so far, seems unwilling to align himself with any specific ideological camp.
“He’s got that new pope smell and everybody wants to recruit him to their side,” observed William Cavanaugh, a political theologian at DePaul University in Chicago.
(Image: Pope Leo XIV waves from a high-roofed white vehicle as crowds greet him and hold up cellphones during a general audience in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican.)
(Image: A billboard at Rate Field, home of the Chicago White Sox, displays Pope Leo smiling and waving, with the text, “Chicago celebrates Pope Leo XIV.”)
In a recently released Spanish biography, Leo offered some insights into his thoughts on several hotly debated church issues. He indicated that, “at the moment,” he had no intention of altering the church’s stance on the ordination of women. He also deemed it “highly unlikely, certainly in the near future,” that the church’s doctrine regarding sexuality or marriage would change. Despite these statements, he has largely kept the door open for ongoing discussion, suggesting a papacy more focused on listening to its global flock than on rigid ideological alignment. “I don’t plan to get involved in partisan politics,” he stated in the biography interview.
The shadow of Leo’s predecessor, Pope Francis—a figure revered by Catholic progressives but often a source of frustration for conservatives—looms large. Followers anxiously seek clues to discern whether the new pontiff will continue Francis’s legacy or forge a different path. So far, Leo’s interactions and early decisions have presented signals that both conservative and liberal Catholics eagerly interpret, much like a Rorschach test, to confirm their own biases and hopes.
Unlike his immediate predecessors, whose doctrinal leanings were quickly established, Leo has enjoyed a more extended honeymoon period. John Paul II and Benedict XVI were known conservatives upon their ascension. Francis, conversely, was swiftly embraced as a progressive, notably after his visit to Lampedusa, a Mediterranean island serving as a gateway for migrants to Europe, and his famous declaration, “Who am I to judge?” when asked about gay priests less than five months into his papacy.
Pope Leo, characterized by the gentle demeanor of a Midwestern uncle, began his pontificate with a minimal public record of speeches or writings that might clearly define his theological or political leanings. Over four months into his papacy, he has yet to make any groundbreaking decisions.
Conservatives have found comfort in Leo’s early actions, viewing him as a traditionalist. His choice to wear a red mozzetta (cape) and a gold-embroidered stole during his first balcony appearance—a distinct contrast to Francis’s simpler attire—was seen as an embrace of papal heritage. His decision to vacation at Castel Gandolfo, the traditional summer residence that Francis opted not to use, further fueled conservative hopes for a return to tradition. Leo also emphasized the importance of government leaders investing in families “founded upon the stable union between a man and a woman.” He further pleased traditionalists by agreeing to allow Cardinal Raymond Burke, a prominent American critic of Francis, to celebrate the traditional Latin Mass in St. Peter’s during an upcoming pilgrimage. This move directly contrasts with Francis’s restrictions on the old rite, which had angered many traditionalists. Leo, however, commented in his biography interview that the Latin Mass had “become a political tool, and that’s very unfortunate.”
(Image: The new pope, in traditional papal vestments, stands on a balcony overlooking St. Peter’s Square, clasping his hands together among other churchmen. This scene followed his election as pontiff in May.)
Conversely, liberal Catholics interpret Leo’s actions through a progressive lens, seeing him as a successor to Francis’s vision. They point to his emphasis on aiding the poor and his strong calls to protect the Earth from the “ravages” of climate change. L.G.B.T.Q. Catholics, in particular, noted his meeting with the Rev. James Martin, a renowned American advocate for inclusivity, as a hopeful sign of Leo’s openness.
What remains consistently clear is Leo’s readiness to engage with a broad spectrum of individuals. Notably, he has met with figures Francis often avoided, including Cardinal Burke and Matteo Salvini, Italy’s deputy prime minister and leader of the anti-immigrant League party.
For the most part, Catholics across the ideological spectrum highlight the signals that reinforce their existing hopes for Leo’s papacy, while largely overlooking those that might contradict their interpretations. “There is something remarkable about the fact that he doesn’t seem to have upset anybody really yet,” commented Miles Pattenden, an Oxford University historian specializing in the church. Pattenden drew a comparison between the pope and Queen Elizabeth II, suggesting Leo’s ability to provide a broad framework for issues without alienating various groups.
(Image: Pope Leo is seen feeding fish at Castel Gandolfo, the papal summer residence in Italy. Like his predecessor, he has urged global action to protect nature from the impacts of climate change.)
A Gallup poll conducted in July indicated that among 14 prominent global leaders, including President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine and President Trump, Leo received the highest favorable rating.
For some Catholics, the new pope’s appeal lies not in specific policies but in his overall demeanor. “It’s hard to say why or what he did to be more conservative,” explained Alessandro Fornaciari, a 26-year-old software marketing associate in Rome who celebrated Leo’s election. During the May conclave in St. Peter’s Square, Fornaciari wore a T-shirt featuring Cardinal Robert Sarah of Guinea, a leading opponent of Pope Francis, emblazoned with the slogan “Make Vatican Great Again!”
Leo’s general “vibe” is indeed open to multiple interpretations. This month, during a general audience in St. Peter’s Square, Robert and Mary Kay Jones, a married couple from Jonesboro, Arkansas, were among thousands standing in the rain to witness the new pope. Strong supporters of Francis, they found Leo’s papacy “so far, so good.” Robert Jones, 57, suggested that Leo’s decision to permit the Latin Mass in the basilica was not ideologically driven, but rather a reflection of his receptiveness to all forms of worship.
Seasoned Vatican observers believe that as the first American pope, Leo deeply understands the perils of partisanship within the church. “I think he understands that it’s not healthy for the church to have a pope who is clearly appropriated by one side,” noted Massimo Faggioli, a professor of theology at Trinity College Dublin.
Interestingly, Leo has actively downplayed his American background, speaking Italian predominantly and listing the United States last in a lengthy roll call of countries during a recent general audience (the list was not alphabetical). However, his American origins might also be an asset. “People can’t say, like they did about Francis, ‘He doesn’t understand the United States, he just doesn’t see what’s going on,’” Leo reportedly told Elise Ann Allen, his biographer. Anna Rowlands, a political theologian at Durham University in England, suggests that his ability to maintain a delicate balance stems from his temperament: “He listens more than he speaks.”
(Image: Pope Leo waves towards a crowd from behind a barrier at the Vatican. He often speaks Italian, downplaying his American roots, even though many global followers might better understand English.)
With a lack of major pronouncements—Leo has yet to even name his own successor to lead the influential Vatican office responsible for selecting bishops—followers are beginning to grow restless.
“Everyone expects some response, some comment from the pope, in order then to judge,” said the Rev. Alejandro Moral Antón, a friend of Leo and his successor as head of the Order of St. Augustine before his recent retirement.
In rapidly growing Catholic regions worldwide, there may be less emphasis on the pope’s ideological stance. “They don’t mind whether you are coming from the left or right,” observed Cardinal Wilfrid Fox Napier of South Africa. “They are poor. They are looking for relief.”
Despite his measured approach, Leo will likely need to address certain divisive church issues more definitively than he has thus far.
Already, some factions are pushing the boundaries. In Germany, a group of bishops released a document in April suggesting that same-sex couples “should be allowed to have blessing ceremonies.” This recommendation appears to go further than what Francis permitted, which was the blessing of the individuals in such couples, but not their unions. In his biography interview, Leo stated, “I think that the church’s teaching will continue as it is, and that’s what I have to say about that for right now.”
Philip Jenkins, a scholar of global Christianity at Baylor University, suggests that at some point, the pope may need to take a clearer position. “Not to decide is to decide,” he concluded.
Josephine de La Bruyère and Elisabetta Povoledo contributed reporting.