VATICAN CITY (AP) 鈥� Pope Leo XIV had tried during his first year as pontiff to insist that his essential role was that of a pastor accompanying his flock. President Donald Trump鈥檚 continuing criticisms 鈥� and Leo鈥檚 increasingly bold retorts 鈥� complicated the effort and overshadowed Friday鈥檚 anniversary of Leo鈥檚 election.
Leo spent the eve of the 1-year mark meeting with , who had come to the Vatican on a fence-mending visit. Trump鈥檚 repeated broadsides against history鈥檚 first U.S. pope created an unprecedented back-and-forth on the Iran war that strained U.S.-Holy See relations.
By the end of the visit, both the Vatican and the State Department stressed their strong bilateral ties. But the episode nevertheless pushed Leo out of his comfort zone and onto the global stage to make zingers like the one this week, after Trump’s latest misrepresentation of his views. 鈥淚f someone wants to criticize me for announcing the Gospel, let him do it with the truth,鈥� Leo said.
It鈥檚 all a bit out of character for Leo who 鈥� the world has come to learn in this first year 鈥� is at heart a mild-mannered, 70-year-old Midwestern missionary priest, and a reserved one at that. He likes to play the solitary game of tennis, cites the fifth-century philosopher St. Augustine from memory and insists he is merely quoting the Bible when he calls for peace, as he did again Friday in marking his anniversary.
鈥淢ay the God of peace pour out an overflowing abundance of mercy, touching hearts, soothing grudges and fratricidal hatred, and enlightening those who bear special responsibilities of governance,鈥� Leo said during an anniversary homily in the ancient city of Pompeii.
The Trump-Leo feud aside, the former Robert Prevost after his first year seems driven not by the dramatic gesture or headline-grabbing tensions that often fueled his predecessor, Pope Francis. Rather, Leo seems inspired by the calm, persistent zeal to preach the Gospel and 鈥� thanks to his 鈥� emphasize community and harmony.
A year of learning and unifying
Leo began his improbable papacy in a polarized world and church, and at the one-year mark, he seems to be delivering.
After Francis鈥� revolutionary and sometimes divisive 12-year papacy, Leo has brought a calming balm to the Vatican and church at large. He seems intent on healing divisions, even as new threats of schism emerge.
That has certainly been the case as he navigates some of the thorniest challenges facing the Catholic Church: tensions between traditionalists and progressives, and the geopolitical crises at the heart of
鈥淚 think the challenge that the Holy Father has is to strengthen the unity of the church,鈥� said Cardinal Wilton Gregory, a Chicago native like Leo and the retired archbishop of Washington. While there have always been divisions, Gregory said social media had amplified them, and that Leo seems intent on tamping them down.
鈥淪ocial communication makes it possible for people to take sides, and sometimes taking sides adds to the divisiveness that we have to deal with and that the Holy Father, as the Bishop of Rome, has to respond to,鈥� Gregory said in an interview.
鈥淗e has to call us to our better angels,鈥� he added.
That seemed to be Leo’s modus operandi when, days into his recent Africa trip, he temporarily quelled the Trump broadsides by essentially declaring he was above the president’s social media rants. While insisting he would continue preaching the Gospel message of peace, Leo said it at all,鈥� to debate Trump.
鈥淚 primarily come to Africa as a pastor, as the head of the Catholic Church to be with, to celebrate with, to encourage and accompany all the Catholics throughout Africa,鈥� he said.
He repeated that message at the trip’s conclusion, saying the political role that comes with being pope, a head of state and global moral authority, was simply not his priority.
An English-speaking American pope
For many, the shock of an American pope, who defied the taboo precluding a Rome-based moral counterweight to the White House, still hasn鈥檛 worn off.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been the first year of an American pope who has been critical of what America is doing for the most part,鈥� said Anthea Butler, senior fellow at the Koch Institute, Oxford University.
She stressed that Leo is doing so 鈥渘ot coming full-on like Francis would,鈥� but approaching issues from the side. He’s not naming names, he’s merely preaching the Gospel.
That approach has certainly helped some U.S. Catholic institutions, after the American church developed an almost . His criticism of American-style capitalism was amplified by U.S.-based conservative Catholic media during his papacy.
For many Vatican watchers, the Argentine pope simply didn’t 鈥済et鈥� the U.S., and vice versa. Some U.S. Catholics eventually under Francis, following years of unrelenting stories of mismanagement, corruption and scandal.
But with a Chicago math major now pope, 鈥渉e can鈥檛 be dismissed as being ignorant of the realities in the United States,鈥� said Kerry Alys Robinson, chief executive of Catholic Charities USA, a national network of Catholic agencies.
Robinson said she had never seen U.S. Catholic bishops , particularly in speaking about the dignity of migrants and poor people. She credits that to many factors, including the Trump administration鈥檚 immigration crackdown and funding cuts that have created a common purpose. But she doesn鈥檛 discount the unifying message from Leo, in English.
鈥淚t鈥檚 very different when you are hearing the message without it being mediated through translation,鈥� she said.
Repairing US relationships
Ward Fitzgerald, president of The Papal Foundation, which funds the pope’s charity projects in the developing world, said an English-speaking pope has been a boon especially in the U.S. and Europe, where there is anecdotal evidence of a 鈥淟eo effect鈥� spurring new converts.
鈥淚 think there鈥檚 lots of reasons for it, but I certainly think that having a pope who speaks English helps young people understand the messages of the Holy Father,鈥� Fitzgerald said in an interview. That also translates to donors to the church, especially from the U.S.
鈥淲hen you tell a donor, 鈥業 really appreciate what you do鈥� in English 鈥� and they鈥檙e English 鈥� I think it resonates,” Fitzgerald said. “And so they give a little more.鈥�
The Papal Foundation recently announced its ranks since Leo’s election, a not-insignificant number given membership requires a minimum $1.25 million pledge.
Fitzgerald and members of the foundation met with Leo last week and gathered in St. Peter鈥檚 Basilica for a Mass celebrated by Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the towering figure of the U.S. Catholic hierarchy and a kingmaker in the 2025 conclave that elected Leo.
Dolan is also chummy with Trump, and is a member of his Religious Liberty Commission.
In his homily, Dolan extolled the attributes of St. Joseph, the father of Christ and a figure so beloved in the church he is the patron saint of more causes than any other saint. Dolan also revealed his feelings about Leo, whom he had watched in the Sistine Chapel a year ago Friday.
St. Joseph was a man of silence, Dolan said, calm and secure in his place.
“A man who exuded a sense of depth and substance. A man who is shy, all right, a man who is focused on his mission,鈥� he added. 鈥淎 man, always attentive to God鈥檚 plan.鈥�
Dolan then asked the Americans seated in the pews if they could think of anyone else who fit St. Joseph’s description.
鈥淚 can,” Dolan said. “Pope Leo reminds me of Joseph.鈥�
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