Church

What’s in a Name? In the Case of Leo XIV, Lessons in Bridging Historical Shifts

admin9 May 2025

Pope Leo XIII, who served from 1878 to 1903, led the church into the modern world, emphasizing its moral authority beyond national boundaries. He defended the rights of working people and affirmed the value of science.

The New Pope Might Be Something Like the Old Pope

admin9 May 2025

With the election of Cardinal Robert Prevost as Pope Leo XIV, the College of Cardinals sent a clear message of continuity with the reformist agenda of his predecessor, Pope Francis. But despite Leo’s reputation as having a quieter, more disciplined ...

‘He Checked All the Boxes.’ Pope Leo XIV Overcame a Liability — Being American.

admin9 May 2025

Before he was chosen, Robert Francis Prevost had the papal seal of approval from his predecessor, Francis, who put him in one of the top jobs in the Roman Catholic Church.

Cardinal Erdo of Hungary Is a Favorite of Conservatives to Become Pope

admin5 May 2025

The archbishop is a standard-bearer for those in the church who favor a return to traditional rules and doctrine after Pope Francis.

Days Before Conclave, Cardinals in Rome Pitch Messages to the Pews

admin4 May 2025

Some papal contenders offered hints in Sunday Masses at what kind of pope they might want, or want to be.

Francis Opened Discussions to Those Outside the Church Hierarchy. This Cardinal Would, Too

admin4 May 2025

Cardinal Mario Grech comes from Malta, but is known to cardinals around the world for his role as the secretary general of an advisory body of bishops.

These Contentious Issues Could Determine Who Becomes the Next Pope

admin3 May 2025

As cardinals gather to elect Pope Francis’ successor, they are facing debates over whether the church most needs change or constancy.

What Happened to the Francis Revolution?

admin25 April 2025

How will history judge Pope Francis’ legacy? It seems reasonable to predict that for many progressive Catholics and others who hoped he would prove to be a revolutionary, his papacy will be remembered as a disappointment. Although Francis ...

Pope Francis’ Legacy in the U.S.: A More Open, and Then Divided, Church

admin25 April 2025

Months into his papacy in 2013, Pope Francis was asked about gay priests, and he responded, “Who am I to judge?” Across the United States, Catholics and non-Catholics alike took a collective gasp. For years the Roman Catholic Church in the United ...

Pope Francis’ Gay Muddle

admin24 April 2025

“Who am I to judge?” Pope Francis uttered those words in July 2013, just four and a half months into his papacy, when he was asked about gay priests, and the remark was greeted by some observers as a revelation and revolution. At long last, the Roman ...