American Catholics are showing strong support for their newly elected spiritual leader, Pope Leo XIV, just one month after his election to the papacy. A new survey conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that nearly two-thirds of U.S. Catholics hold either a "very" or "somewhat" favorable opinion of the Chicago-born pontiff.
After weeks of speculation, Pope Leo XIV has ended the suspense surrounding his Major League Baseball allegiance—and it’s not the Chicago Cubs. During the general assembly in Rome on Wednesday, the first American-born pope, a native of Chicago, donned a black White Sox cap, making his South Side loyalties clear.
Pope Leo XIV issued a firm rebuke of rising nationalist political movements during Pentecost Mass in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday, warning that such ideologies threaten peace and unity in an increasingly divided world. Addressing tens of thousands of worshippers, the American-born pontiff urged the global community to reject prejudice and indifference in favor of reconciliation and open dialogue.
Vice President JD Vance met with Pope Leo XIV on Monday, presenting the first American-born pontiff with a Chicago Bears jersey and a personal letter from President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump. The pope, a Chicago native, responded with a smile and the words, “Good choice.”
History’s first American pope, Leo XIV, will formally begin his papacy on Sunday in a ceremony at St. Peter’s Basilica filled with deep Catholic tradition, global symbolism, and high-level diplomatic presence. Nearly 150 official delegations are expected, with an estimated 250,000 attendees crowding into St. Peter’s Square for the inaugural Mass.
Pope Leo XIV has revealed that his papal name was chosen in direct reference to Pope Leo XIII, aligning his mission with the Church’s historical response to rapid technological upheaval. Speaking to the College of Cardinals, the newly elected pontiff cited the rise of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies as the defining challenges of his papacy.
Representative Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) voiced hope Friday that newly elected Pope Leo XIV will use his platform to speak out against mass deportations under President Donald Trump’s administration. Her comments came during an appearance on MSNBC’s “Chris Jansing Reports,” where she praised the pope’s past social media activity as aligned with pro-migrant positions.
Newly elected Pope Leo XIV is signaling a major shift in tone from his predecessor by describing mass migration as a “huge problem,” marking a break from the unqualified pro-migration advocacy of the late Pope Francis. The comments, made by then-Cardinal Robert Prevost during a Catholic Mass, reflect a more balanced and realistic approach to one of the most pressing challenges facing modern nations.
