Leo XIV: the pontiff both left and right can applaud

Tom Colsy• May 13, 2025

There was palpable confusion when Robert Francis Prevost stepped out on the loggia. A scramble to discern what sort of pontificate the Catholic Church was likely to witness in the next few years soon followed.

Both conservative and progressive factions within the Catholic Church are expressing cautious optimism. Yet during Leo XIV’s first address, relief was more immediate. Cardinals who fell into both the relative conservative and progressive camps were filmed looking joyous.

While the reasons for their approval vary, a deeper examination reveals that Prevost, a figure once unknown on the global stage, may indeed be positioned as something of a “compromise” candidate – one whose past actions, statements and affiliations have led to this unusual alignment of expectations.

To fully appreciate the reasons behind this strange consensus, it’s necessary to look beyond mere conjecture. One useful starting point comes from Leo’s own family. He is the youngest of three boys. Both of his brothers have spoken to the press.

His eldest sibling, Louis, when discussing the new pontiff, remarked: “I think he’ll be fantastic. I don’t think there’ll be a lot of politics involved. I wouldn’t call him conservative; I wouldn’t call him liberal Church-wise, with the Church rules. I’d say he’s more on the ‘here’s the rules that have been set. Let’s follow them.’”

Louis lives in Republican-leaning Florida. His social media posts have revealed his support for the Trump administration and JD Vance.

Meanwhile, Leo’s middle brother – John – gives off no such impressions of political conservatism. He immediately affirmed in an interview he thought his recently elected younger sibling would follow in the footsteps of his predecessor, Pope Francis, particularly in his advocacy for migrants. Whether this truly reflects a “Francis II” approach remains to be seen.

The key, however, is that he enjoys both brothers’ esteem and hope despite their apparent divergence in views and emphases. Curiously, it is the same across the Church.

Leo’s background further complicates any clear classification of which “camp” in ecclesiastical politics he falls into. He was raised in a diverse, mixed-ethnicity household, and held a long career in the Augustinian order, with significant periods of missionary work in Peru and leadership roles in the U.S. His trajectory from priest to bishop of Chiclayo, Peru, and later, his appointment as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops under Pope Francis, has been marked by measured, prudent decision-making, rather than any overt radicalism. His career reveals a man committed to the Church’s mission, but one who has largely avoided the limelight or rushing to engage in public controversies.

Yet it’s precisely his measured approach that has caused both conservative and progressive Catholics to view him with interest. Conservatives point to his apparent orthodox stances on key issues like abortion, euthanasia and the ordination of women. Furthermore, he has remained steadfast in his opposition to same-sex unions and the promotion of secular gender ideologies. His views on these matters encouraged conservative prelates Cardinal Timothy Dolan and Cardinal Peter Erdö, both of whom have been identified as supporters in the run-up to or during the conclave. Liberals are encouraged by his apparent appraisal of Vatican II and proximity to Francis.

However, what makes Leo’s election especially intriguing is the somewhat unlikely coalition of support he garnered. As a moderate, Prevost was seen as a candidate who could bridge the gap between the Church’s more traditional elements and those who advocate for an accommodating, inclusive approach. His first homily as pope exemplified this measured tone.

Prevost’s nuanced stance on migration is a case in point. While he advocates for a humane and compassionate response to the global migrant crisis, he also recognises the complexities involved in managing such an issue within the broader context of local and national concerns. This balance – prioritising both mercy and the responsibility of governance – is indicative.

Moreover, rumours have circulated that Prevost, on occasion, celebrated the Traditional Latin Mass. While this remains unverified, it adds an additional layer of intrigue, particularly given the controversy surrounding Pope Francis’s 2021 motu proprio Traditionis Custodes, which restricted the use of the Latin Mass. If this is the case, this would actually make Leo in liturgical terms the most traditionalist pontiff since Pius XII.

So far, the rapid return of Latin in blessings, prayers and papal addresses have done little to extinguish this rumour.

On a more personal level, he has voiced concern about the effects of secularism on faith, particularly in how modern media is hostile to Church teachings on life and morality. In May 2023, he stressed the need for prudence in using social media to avoid “fuelling divisions and controversy” and causing “damage to the communion of the Church”. Nevertheless, his defence of the family and his strong stance against abortion and euthanasia are well-documented. In 2012, he criticised popular culture’s sympathy for the “homosexual lifestyle” and same-sex families, stating that such views contradict the Gospel.

The ecclesiastical world’s cautious optimism regarding Prevost also stems from his careful handling of the synodal process. As prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, he viewed the consultation and involvement of the laity as a positive move, without being willing to budge an inch on dogma or doctrine. Prevost was firm that authority ultimately rests on the papacy, but recognised the value of local bishops applying papal teachings in a manner suited to their respective regions.

This approach was evident in his handling of the German Synodal Path and the implementation of Amoris Laetitia. In 2016, he highlighted the importance of “walking together without losing sight of the Church’s perennial teachings”.

Meanwhile, Archbishop Georg Gänswein – the former Prefect to the Papal Household who enjoyed a strong relationship with Benedict XVI and strained one with Francis – observed, “Now a new phase opens. I sense some widespread relief. The season of arbitrariness is over. We can begin to rely on a papacy that can guarantee stability and rely on existing structures, without overturning and upsetting them.”

RELATED: Archbishop Gänswein on Pope Leo XIV: ‘This Pope inspires hope, hope, hope’

It is strange that a candidate could be cheered by some of the foremost progressives in the Catholic world – Fr James Martin and Austen Ivereigh –yet simultaneously hailed by Dolan and Gänswein. Yet, Leo, a devotee of Augustinian theology and a serious Catholic intellectual, accentuates what both camps share – Catholicism. He appears to wish to preserve the best – what is good and true and beautiful – within the impulses of all sides. To the liberals, he indicates he will continue a warm-hearted appeal to the marginalised and downtrodden on the peripheries. To the conservatives, that he will remain faithful to orthodoxy and far more friendly to Catholic tradition.

There is an undeniable sense that Prevost’s papacy will be characterised by moderation rather than radical change. He may be that needed sweet spot. A quietly conservative pontiff and a friend to tradition, yet adept at making the right gestures to satisfy those concerned about the coldness or stiffness of the right.

When Pope Leo first stepped out on the loggia overlooking St Peter’s Square, prelates as divergent as Cardinals Vinko Puljić – a John Paul II-era staunch social and doctrinal conservative – and Pietro Parolin – Francis’ right-hand-man – were seen beaming ear-to-ear alike.

Reports indicate that at the final ballot in the conclave Prevost earned over 100 votes. I can well see it being true. Cardinal Vincent Nichols and others have spoken about the tangible spirituality and presence of the Holy Spirit during the process. Given the evidence, I don’t find that hard to believe either.

Leo XIV’s apparent ability to remain above the fray of Vatican politics, and his avoidance of overt alliances with any single faction, may have positioned him as the perfect candidate for both factions looking for continuity amid the volatility of the last few papacies.

Photo: Messages are written on a banner with an image of Pope Leo XIV at the Santo Toribio de Mogrovejo Catholic University in Chiclayo, Lambayeque region, northern Peru, on May 12, 2025. (Photo by Ernesto BENAVIDES / AFP)