Habemus Papam

by Eduardo del Buey

Habemus Papam

“God moves in a mysterious way, his wonders to perform … blind unbelief is sure to err and scan his work in vain; God is his own interpreter, and he will make it plain.” William Cowper

Over a billion Catholics worldwide believe that the Holy Spirit guides the voting Cardinals in their deliberations to elect a Pope.

I believe this to be true in the case of Robert Prevost, Pope Leo XIV.

The new Pontiff was born and raised in the United States, spent twenty years as a missionary in Peru (where he became a Peruvian citizen), and gained extensive pastoral experience, rising from a simple Augustinian missionary in an impoverished region to the Bishop of Chiclayo before being called to Rome by Pope Francis.

In 2023, Pope Francis appointed him to lead a significant office responsible for managing bishops globally. He is both familiar with and recognized by the Papal Curia and bishops worldwide, which will assist him in navigating the Church’s bureaucracy and power structures.

Experts indicate that Leo XIV’s experience in the Roman Curia — the church’s government — was likely appealing to conservative conclave voters seeking stability in the years ahead.

According to experts, by choosing the name Leo, Prevost has signified a commitment to dynamic social issues. The first pontiff to use the name Leo, whose papacy ended in 461, met Attila the Hun and persuaded him not to attack Rome. The last Pope Leo led the Church from 1878 to 1903 and wrote an influential treatise on workers' rights.

Former Archbishop of Boston Sean Patrick O'Malley wrote on his blog that the new pontiff "has chosen a name widely associated with the social justice legacy of Pope Leo XIII, who was pontiff at a time of epic upheaval in the world, the time of the industrial revolution, the beginning of Marxism, and widespread immigration."

Matteo Bruni, the Vatican spokesperson, stated that this current Pope Leo aims to draw a parallel to that era, marked by its technological revolutions.

“It is not a casual reference to the men and women of their work at a time of artificial intelligence,” Bruni explained.

Pope Leo XIV enters the papacy at a time in which his country is deeply divided over the Trump administration’s, treatment of illegal immigrants which ignores the law and which he has criticized sharply.

Around the world, polarization has increased as extremist leaders advocate exclusionary nationalism and, at the extreme, hatred towards others, disdain for the poor and marginalized, and power for the wealthy.

In his initial words as Pope, Leo XIV repeated a blessing uttered by his late predecessor, Pope Francis, just weeks earlier: “God loves us, God loves everyone, and evil will not prevail. We are in the hands of God.”

For a time, he led the Augustinian Order. Members of the Order live and minister in over 40 countries on every continent, preaching the Gospel in various ways, among people of all faiths and none, from many cultures, languages, and traditions, striving to uphold St. Augustine’s ideal of uniting people for the glory of God and the service of God’s people.

As the leader of 1.4 billion Catholics, Pope Leo will be a formidable foe. He has already confronted the Trump administration. In February, then-Cardinal Prevost shared a piece on X entitled "JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn't ask us to rank our love for others" in which the author pushed back on Vance's claim that Christians should love their family first, then their neighbor, then their community, then their fellow citizens, and then the rest of the world.

Vance attempted to distort Catholic theology to justify his vehement anti-migrant views by suggesting that Christians do not need to prioritize care for anyone beyond their immediate family.

Cynics may argue that the Pope wields a bully pulpit but has little else to counter the creeping autocracy in his homeland. Indeed, Soviet dictator Josef Stalin once asked, “how many divisions does the Pope have?”.

I would answer that Pope John Paul II, the first Polish Pontiff, had no divisions. However, he was instrumental in helping to bring down the Soviet Empire when he allied with Poland’s Solidarity movement, U.S. President Ronald Reagan, and U.K. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s.

Pope Leo will have the support of many Americans who disapprove of the direction their country is heading and seek leadership and inspiration to challenge their current government.

As an American, he will have an excellent bully pulpit and the gravitas to challenge the Trump administration.

As a Peruvian, he has sufficient third-world credentials to advocate for the world’s poorest and dispossessed.

I believe Mr. Cowper’s words are prescient. Believers will feel that divine providence has led to Pope Leo’s election at this specific time.

Non-believers may argue that it is a fortuitous confluence of events.

Regardless of the reason, this selection has provided the global community with an alternative to the evil that prevails in many parts of the world.

God speed, Pope Leo.