Pope Leo's first six months: revolution of kindness with a missionary impulse

(OSV News) -- On May 8, at 6:07 p.m., -- as the white smoke surprised those gathered at St. Peter's Square and those glued to screens across the planet on the second day of the conclave -- Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was elected as the 266th successor to St. Peter.

Six months later, Pope Leo XIV's election already proved historically significant: the first U.S.-born pope, the first Augustinian, and the first pope born after World War II.

The surprise at the election of the first North American pope, who was seen as a "dark horse" candidate, was followed by questions about who he was and how he would lead the church amid division and uncertainty, both within the Catholic Church and globally.

Yet, many concerns were allayed from the moment he stepped out onto the balcony and began his first address, proclaiming five simple words: "Peace be with you all."

"I believe that the style that people immediately received since he appeared on the balcony is kindness," Alessandro Gisotti, deputy editorial director of Vatican Media, told OSV News on Nov. 11.

"I know it may seem strange, but, in today's world, where politics, economy, and media are characterized by shouting voices and continuous conflicts, Pope Leo -- after the great revolution of tenderness by Pope Francis -- is bringing, in my opinion, a revolution of kindness," he said.

Christopher White, author of "Pope Leo XIV: Inside the Conclave and the Dawn of a New Papacy," told OSV News Nov. 11 that the new pope's words were a clear indication that he "wants to be a peace pope."

"We've seen that from the first night of his election when, in his first speech, he used the word peace nine times. He's used every opportunity that he's been given to underscore that priority and beg for peace, much like Pope Francis did," said White, who is also the associate director and senior fellow at the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life at Georgetown University.

Now, at the halfway point of his pontificate's first year, Pope Leo has taken a more cautious approach not only in governing the church but in his engagement with the church and the world.

Unlike his predecessor, he rarely strays from his prepared remarks when delivering a speech or homily. Yet, much like Pope Francis, he doesn't shy away from speaking openly and engaging with people, including journalists stationed outside the papal residence of Castel Gandolfo.

Nevertheless, those who have met the pope or known him agree that his seemingly reserved disposition is consistent with his personality: he takes his time, listens, and thinks before he acts.

Salvatore Cernuzio, a journalist for Vatican News and producer of two documentaries on Pope Leo -- "León de Perú" and "Leo from Chicago" -- noted that those who knew him in his native Illinois and in Peru, where he served as a missionary for over 20 years, attest to the pope's "meekness" and willingness to engage even in intense situations.

"I remember an anecdote told by Ivonne, a woman from Trujillo, who said he would enter into all discussions, even arguments, even when voices were raised, but he never got angry," Cernuzio told OSV News on Nov. 11. "Instead, he would say, 'I'm going to drink a glass of water,' and then return. Meaning, he took time for reflection."

"I hope people understand this. I hope they understand that what seems like reserve or shyness is actually part of such a kind personality," he added.

Gisotti echoed those sentiments, saying that in the brief moments he has spent with Pope Leo, "I got the impression of a person with a willingness to listen and with a kind attitude of heart."

"He is a man who always seeks reconciliation, dialogue, listening, unity, and this, in my opinion, truly characterizes not only his person but also his pontificate," he said.

While much of his personality and mindset could be gleaned from the pope's past experiences as a missionary and bishop in Peru, as well as his time leading the Dicastery for Bishops, the world got a glimpse of the pope's thoughts in his first interview with Crux journalist Elise Ann Allen.

Allen's book, "León XIV: Ciudadano del mundo, misionero del siglo XXI" ("Leo XIV: Citizen of the World, Missionary of the 21st Century"), which was published in Spanish in September, featured the pope's first interview after his election, in which he weighed in on issues facing the Catholic Church and the world.

In it, the pope said that when it comes to the institutional governance of the church, he is "just dipping my big toe into the shallow end of the pool."

"I've been in Rome for a couple of years as part of the Holy See, so I think I have a head start there, an idea of what it's like to govern the Holy See," the pope explained. "Some decisions will have to be made in the coming months and years, of course, but I don't feel overwhelmed by that; it's always a very important part of the role."

Pope Leo's first motu proprio (Latin for "on one's own initiative"), titled "Coniuncta Cura" ("Shared Responsibility"), clarified and strengthened the rules for how the Holy See manages its financial investments.

In 2022, Pope Francis ordered the Holy See's financial assets to be transferred to the Institute for the Works of Religion, or IOR, commonly known as the Vatican bank, following some questionable investment decisions.

However, the new pope's motu proprio allowed for "the use of financial intermediaries established in other states" if competent bodies deemed it "to be more efficient or convenient."

White noted that while the pope is "far more cautious, more reserved" in his style, he is "someone who's quite interested in questions of governance and management."

"I think he feels the need to get his own house in order so that he can preach the Gospel in a credible way," he explained.

Nevertheless, while Pope Leo brings a different style than Pope Francis, White said that within the first six months, he "is drawing from the same pastoral priorities" as his predecessor.

"I think the front-burner issues of his papacy are climate change, migration, and poverty; those are themes that he's continually returned to in his first six months on the job. And I think it's clear that he'll continue to focus on these themes," he said.

Pope Leo touched upon these issues in his apostolic letter titled "Disegnare Nuove Mappe Di Speranza" ("Drawing New Maps of Hope"), released Oct. 28 to mark the 60th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council's Declaration on Catholic Education.

The pope's first apostolic exhortation, "Dilexi Te" ("I Have Loved You"), which was initially prepared by Pope Francis before his death on April 21, centered on the church's love for the poor.

While the theme was dear to the late pope's heart, his successor said he was "happy to make this document my own" and that he shared "the desire of my beloved predecessor that all Christians come to appreciate the close connection between Christ's love and his summons to care for the poor."

Gisotti noted that while Pope Leo is "rigorous when it comes to the magisterium and very attentive to the words he pronounces," he also displays "that same pastoral heart of Francis, of John Paul II, when he meets people, when he embraces the sick, when he is with the poor."

"It is never good to make comparisons, but let's say there is the mind of Benedict, the heart of Francis, even if this pope is Leo, and one must not always seek comparisons with those who came before," he told OSV News.

White told OSV News that the pope has spent "a lot of time listening during his first six months on the job" and will soon have "to decide who he wants to bring on board as his key advisers in governing the church."

"There are big decisions to be made in key areas -- when it comes to church communications, finances, diplomacy, and major dioceses around the world," he said, adding that next year "will bring even more trips, which will give him a chance to underscore his own priorities as pope."

While Pope Leo's schedule was already filled with Jubilee Year commitments, Gisotti said he believed the coming year would show a "papacy with a strong missionary imprint."

"We can already see, and not just with the announcement of his trip to Turkey and Lebanon, that this pope is a pope who looks outside the city of Rome, from Vatican City, to bring the Gospel, the evangelization, to the peripheries," he said. "He is fundamentally a missionary."