Donald Trump, Roman Curie, sexual abuse … 12 major sites awaiting Leon XIV
1. Impose your style
First mission for Léon XIV: find his way of exercising the ministry of Pierre. In 2013, François had immediately turned the codes upside down, refusing to appear on the Balcony of the Saint-Pierre Basilica with the traditional Red Mozette. Then, the next day he celebrated the mass in the Vatican parish, before settling in the Sainte-Marthe residence rather than at the apostolic palace. His expression without filter, his spontaneous gestures then made a pope with a direct style, far from the pontifical gestures which prevailed until then-and sometimes perhaps at the expense of a certain authority of the word of the Holy Father.
How will Leon XIV act? Will he blend more into the papal function as Benoît XVI did in her time, or will he completely revolutionize it to shape it as it pleases? Anyway, the Vatican machine will have to adapt to its choices. And his first gestures and first decisions will be observed by the whole world.
2. The jubilee
The word of a new pope is always scrutinized … and it will be particularly abundant in this jubilee year. Léon XIV, 267th Pope, should resume the rhythm of the major celebrations at Place Saint-Pierre and audiences with the participants in the various organized jubilees.
It will therefore be so many opportunities for him to make his thought known on special subjects. Among the major dates to come: the jubilee of grandparents and the elderly at the end of May-early June and that of young people in July-August.
3. Roman Curia
In 2013, one of the main missions entrusted to François was to reform the Roman Curia. The task has been longer than expected, since it was a long process that only led to March 2022 with the Apostolic Constitution Praedicate Evangelium. And during these years, that is to say that Pope Francis has shaken up the central organ of the Catholic Church – as when he devoted his 2014 Christmas wishes to the “Spiritual Diseases” of the Roman Curia …
How will Leon XIV be vis-à-vis this institution “at the service of the Pope” (Praedicate Evangelium, 8))? Long missionary pastor, he has been part of the curia recently and should not find himself “imprisoned” by her.
4. Diplomacy
An American pope in the world of Donald Trump. To date, there is no public information indicating that a direct meeting has already been made between Donald Trump and the American Pope Léon XIV, of his civil name Robert Francis Prevost. Even during the funeral of Pope Francis on April 26 where both were present. As a cardinal, he was an influential figure in the American Catholic Church. He has already expressed himself several times on the issue of immigration, to which Donald Trump often attacks. In Peru where he served for more than fifteen years, Robert Francis Prevost stressed the importance of a pastoral approach centered on human dignity, reception and accompaniment of migrants. A few minutes after the election of Leon XIV, Donald Trump said: “What a great honor for our country”, saying “impatient” to meet him.
Other diplomatic projects await Léon XIV, universal pastor of the Catholic Church, but also head of state. If the main trends do not change from one pontiff to another, the accents put by a pope on this or that conflict or event mark the tone of vatican diplomacy. While the conflict seems to worsen in the Holy Land, Ukraine and Russia do not seem ready to find ground for the cessation of hostilities, there is no doubt that the words and calls for peace of the new pope will be examined with attention in the Chancellery.
Relations with China will in particular be a delicate field for the new Pope: will he be continuing the agreement established for the appointment of bishops, even if it means sacrificing part of the autonomy of the apostolic seat in this area, or will it end, at the risk that the pressures are accentuated on the faithful of the country?
5. Travel
Since Paul VI and even more since John Paul II, apostolic visits outside Italy are an integral part of the ordinary ministry of the bishop of Rome. After twelve years of pontifical visit especially in countries that are not used to receiving the successor from Pierre, many Catholics hope for a visit to the Pope at home. In Europe, Spain and Germany have, for example, had the opportunity to receive François. For the time being, only one trip is a quasi-certainty: in South Korea in the summer of 2027, for the World Youth Days.
However, a first trip could take place very quickly, in the coming weeks, in Türkiye for the 1700th anniversary of the first ecumenical council in history, that of Nicea. “(Pope Francis) really wanted to come this year to celebrate this historic anniversary,” said the Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomée, who is waiting for a firm foot “the next pope, if he wants and when he wants to come”.
6. Magisterial texts
If the words of a pope are followed carefully, his writings are even more so. As a bishop of Rome, Léon XIV will enjoy an authority over Catholics around the world and will benefit from a universal audience. What will he dedicate his exhortations and encyclicals?
The question is important because it can initiate the practice of the Church for decades. So, Rerum novarum (1891) by Léon XIII is the anchor point of the social doctrine of the Church while Laudato if ‘ (2015) of François is his commitment to the “common house”.
7. Doctrinal questions
The popes pass and the arrests remain. There is no doubt that François’s successor will have to confront major doctrinal questions of the time. What welcome in the church for people in “irregular situation”, especially homosexual or divorced-reproductive?
What place for women? Is the Way of Female Diaconate really closed? So many arrests of the modern world for the next pope.
On these questions, Léon XIV should not modify the CAP established by François.
8. Synodality
Large site of the Pontificate of François and fracture line between the cardinals, synodality will be one of the major challenges of the new Pope. Léon XIV, on this point very clearly an heir to François, should continue in the way of a greater deconcentration of powers within the Church, a sharing of the greater ministries between lay people and consecrated.
9. Liturgical sensitivities
How will the new pope be vis-à-vis the Catholic faithful attached to the preconciliary liturgy? If Benedict XVI had largely authorized the celebrations called “Tridentines” by his motu owner Summorum pontificum (2007), François had clearly returned to strong restrictions, believing that this gesture in favor of the Union had led to more disunity.
The question is still very sensitive. If this is particularly true in France and in the United States, bishops around the world-including cardinals-have distanced from the restrictions imposed by the Argentinian Pope. Whatever it is, there is no doubt that Léon XIV will be widely discussed during the pilgrimage of Chartres organized to the Pentecost by Notre-Dame de Chrétiente, the main meeting of the French Catholics attached to the Tridentin Rite.
The question of relations with the priestly fraternity of Saint-Pie X (FSSPX), not in full communion with Rome, should continue to arise during this pontificate. The subject could be all the more sensitive since the FSSPX is in reflection on the possibility of the ordination of new bishops within it but without mandate of Rome to continue to be able to order priests. It was this gesture – the ordination of four bishops by Mgr Fellay – in 1988 which had acted their excommunication and the rupture with the apostolic seat.
10. Ecumenical and interreligious dialogue
Since the Council of Vatican II, the Catholic Church has been resolutely engaged in dialogue with other Christian confessions and with other religions. François’ pontificate was notably marked by the importance of declaration on human fraternity, signed in 2019 with the great imam of Al-Azhar, and by the meeting in Iraq with one of the highest authorities of Shiite Islam. John Paul II and Benoît XVI had taken great care of the relationship with the Jews, “older brothers in faith”, in the words of the Polish pope.
The relations between responsible for the main branches of Christianity have been marked by great fraternity in recent decades – Pope Francis and the Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomée being called both “Dear Brother”. Can rapprochement are taken? The late Argentinian pope had, at the start of the year, said ready to make concessions to reach a common date to Catholics and Orthodox for the Easter. Will Leon XIV act in this sense, in a strong gesture of unity?
10. Sexual and spiritual abuses
Inevitably, Léon XIV will be faced with the question of sexual abuse committed by members of the clergy and their management by the episcopal and Roman hierarchy. If Benedict XVI recognized the magnitude of the abuses on minors, which François has taken decisive measures to end – or try to end – in the culture of secrecy surrounding them, these dramas have not yet been fully recognized all over the world.
Likewise, the authorities of the Catholic world are still struggling to recognize the damage of the abuses committed on adults, especially towards nuns. This will be one of its most delicate and sensitive projects.
12. The inheritance of François
“A poor church for the poor”, the constant concern for migrants or the concern “of uniting the whole human family in the search for sustainable development”. In twelve years of pontificate, François will have deeply renewed the gaze and attention of the Catholic Church on the realities of the world today.
His successor will undoubtedly be part of his line, with a resolutely pastoral practice of accompaniment of the world as close as possible to his injuries. Him to find his clean voice, without imitating the Argentinian Pope, but without forgetting all those who have been marked by his example.
