Pope Leo’s American Leadership Style Offers a Glimmer of Hope

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Jubilee Of The Eastern Catholic Churches At Vatican

On May 18, the day of the official start of his Petrine ministry, everyone proclaimed together: “Tu es Petrus, et super hanc petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam, et portae inferi non praevalebunt adversus eam.” (“You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”). Following this, the new Pope, joined by the Patriarch of the Eastern Orthodox Church, will proceed to the tomb of St. Peter for prayer. Afterward, the solemn procession will commence, marking a new chapter for Robert Francis Prevost as the head of the world’s largest religious tradition.

However, Prevost’s journey to the papacy began long ago, not in Rome. Two days after his election, crowds exceeding filled the streets of Pope Leo XVI’s former diocese. They congregated in front of the Cathedral of Santa Maria de Chiclayo (Peru) to celebrate a thanksgiving mass for Leo’s election. The excitement was palpable. “¡León, amigo, Chiclayo está contigo!” (Leo, friend, Chiclayo is with you!) and “¡El Papa es chiclayano!” (The Pope is from Chiclayo!), the masses cheered loudly.

For the thousands gathered at the cathedral, Leo XVI, the first Pope born in the United States, was, somewhat paradoxically, their Pope. While he is the first pontiff from the USA, he is truly seen by them as the Pope from Chiclayo, Peru. This sentiment goes beyond mere affection expressed from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica during Leo’s inaugural address. Robert Prevost dedicated much of his pastoral work to northwestern Peru, serving as an Augustinian missionary in various roles in Chulucanas, Trujillo, and eventually becoming the Bishop of Chiclayo in 2015. He also became a Peruvian citizen that same year.

Nevertheless, Prevost is the first Pope born in the United States. Consequently, his election invites a comparison between his global leadership style and that of the current U.S. President. The stark contrast may be unsettling for some, but it presents an opportunity to learn how much can be gained from openness, bridge-building, and compassion in our relationships, particularly with the poor, immigrants, and those who suffer injustice.

This dual identity—American by birth and Peruvian by choice, service, and love—provides insight into Pope Leo’s pastoral nature. Thus, while Leo is the first U.S.-born Pope, it may be more accurate to call Prevost the second Pope of the Americas. Indeed, Leo seems to grasp that the Americas are a region, not a single nation, which allows him to cultivate the bridge-building global leadership needed today.

Being the second Pope of the Americas positions Leo as the successor to Pope Francis. The Argentine pontiff preceded Prevost, appointed him bishop and cardinal, and brought him to the Vatican to collaborate closely in his final years. The continuities go beyond the order of their papacies. “Like Francis, Leo was evangelized by the poor of Latin America,” a close associate of Prevost in Peru told me yesterday. Despite differences in personality, generation, and background, Francis and Leo share a strong connection forged through serving the poor and vulnerable. This led Francis to make Leo a bishop, recognizing him as a pastor who embodied the “smell of the sheep,” a quality Francis praised in his exhortation.

Unsurprisingly, Pope Leo openly embraced Pope Francis’ legacy in his first public address. In a touching gesture, Leo offered to continue the blessing that Pope Francis had begun from the same balcony the day before his death. Blessing the city and the world, Leo spoke of an unconditionally loving God, building bridges, encouraging dialogue, and an open, synodal church. From all the possible references to St. Augustine, the Augustinian pope chose this line:

The message is clear: Leo’s papacy promotes a discipleship of equals. Power and authority must be used to serve, especially those facing violence and exclusion.

Leo XIV is the spiritual leader of the global Catholic Church, keenly aware that its center of gravity lies in the Southern Hemisphere. This awareness stems from deep personal experience. As the child of an immigrant family, Prevost personally understands the complexities of cultural belonging. As an adult Augustinian friar, he chose to join a emigrating to Peru, embodying Pope Francis’ ministry motto from his early days.

Crucially, as Bishop of Chiclayo, he developed social justice ministries in his diocese, deeply concerned for the dignity of Venezuelan immigrants. His work to prevent human trafficking and provide vital healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic is widely recognized.

These actions demonstrate Leo’s commitments and challenge the nationalism and isolationism promoted by the White House. Pope Leo’s life shows that identity and loyalties are shaped by experience, and his experience is rooted outside the U.S., close to the cries of the poor, and guided by the conviction that leadership means service, not power and fear. May this experience illuminate Leo’s papacy and bring the world the peace he offered in his first address from St. Peter’s, a peace so desperately needed in our broken world.