What we know about Pope Leo's politics
Thank you for signing up!
Subscribe to more newsletters here
The latest in politics and policy. Direct to your inbox. Sign up for the 12:30 Report newsletter SubscribeHappy Friday! And an early Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms reading this! 💐
In today's issue:
- Political implications of Pope Leo’s selection
- Interviews with the pope’s brothers
- Former Supreme Court justice dies
- Biden’s return to the spotlight frustrates Democrats
⛪️ IN VATICAN CITY
A Chicago pope, can you believe it?:
Pope Leo XIV officiated his first Mass as the new leader of the Catholic Church this morning.
What we know about him: The 69-year-old Robert Prevost, a Villanova alum from just outside Chicago, spent several decades in Peru as a missionary. He holds Peruvian citizenship and speaks fluently in both Spanish and Italian.
Pope Leo began his first homily in English: 📹Watch ; 🔎Read his homily
Cheers at the end of Mass: Children in the Sistine Chapel choir applauded him at the end of Mass. He waves at them. 📹 Watch
Throwback — this was prescient: The New York Times’s Motoko Rich published an article May 2 that reads, “There’s Never Been a Pope From the U.S. Could This Cardinal Change That?”
📝Five things to know about Pope Leo’s selection
➤ POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS — WHAT DOES LEO’S SELECTION MEAN FOR THE CHURCH?:
It is widely seen as a progressive move by the Catholic Church. His priorities are expected to build off Pope Francis’s legacy.
His social media posts offer some insight into his political leanings. Several of his recent X posts are critical of President Trump and Vice President Vance. He has a history of voting in both parties, per CBS News.
He advocated for action to address climate change and wants to help migrants. He may not be as progressive on LGBTQ issues, though. © The Hill
