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Straits Times
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
‘Hug therapy' and not rocking the boat: How Pope Leo is trying to unify Vatican
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Pope Leo XIV is winning over the Curia, the Catholic Church's governing body that Pope Francis, his predecessor, had accused of 'spiritual Alzheimer's'. VATICAN CITY – Pope Leo XIV heads off on holiday on July 6, having spent his first two months as Catholic leader rebuilding unity and bolstering tradition after his predecessor's unorthodox papacy. 'Prudent', 'methodical' and 'listening' are some of the words used by Vatican insiders who spoke to Agence France-Presse (AFP) to describe the approach of the first American pope, who took over on May 8 as head of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics. Pope Leo was elected by cardinals following the death of Argentina's Pope Francis, a charismatic reformer who sparked worldwide devotion but also internal Church divisions during his 12-year papacy. Pope Francis shook things up from the outset , eschewing the ornate garb and palaces of his predecessors, but his successor has moved more carefully, emphasising tradition and unity. On the all-important symbols, Pope Leo has returned to wearing the traditional red mozzetta – short cape – and stole over his white papal robes. He will take a summer break from July 6 to 20 at the papal palace at Castel Gandolfo, outside Rome, a longtime country residence for pontiffs that Pope Francis declined to use. Pope Leo is also expected to move into the papal apartments of the Vatican's Apostolic Palace in the autumn after extensive renovations, according to a Vatican source. Pope Francis had rejected the palace in favour of a simple apartment in the Santa Marta guesthouse. On policy matters, Pope Leo has given numerous speeches but has so far avoided taking positions that might cause offence and has made no major appointments. In public, he smiles and engages with the crowds who flock to see him at St Peter's Square, from blessing babies to singing along to the chants of the Chicago White Sox, his favourite baseball team. But the discreet former missionary – who spent two decades in Peru before joining the Roman Curia, the Catholic Church's governing body, in 2023 – has so far kept to the script and followed protocol. 'His style is simplicity… He is a presence that does not impose itself on others,' said Professor Roberto Regoli, who teaches at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. 'With him, rather than looking at appearances, you have to focus on the content,' he said. 'Some relief' Professor Charles Mercier, who teaches contemporary history at the University of Bordeaux, said Pope Leo appeared keen to promote the institution over himself as an individual. 'Francis had a personal charisma that he greatly emphasised through his personality. Leo seems to want to blend into an institution, the papal office, that is more than him,' he said. The approach has won Pope Leo support within the Curia. Employees who spoke to AFP described a man who was 'pragmatic', 'impressively calm', 'measured and methodical', 'thoughtful' and 'concerned about balance'. 'He is someone who listens a lot, who needs to understand how things work before making decisions,' explained one employee of a dicastery, a Vatican government department. Pope Leo will take a summer break from July 6 to 20 at the papal palace at Castel Gandolfo, outside Rome. PHOTO: NYTIMES Even those speaking under cover of anonymity offered a broadly positive tone, reflecting how in just two months, Pope Leo has re-engaged with the Curia. 'The Curia was shaken up by Pope Francis, with reforms decided sometimes unilaterally, even in an authoritarian manner, and often badly received,' a Vatican source said on condition of anonymity. The arrival of Pope Leo – 'who has a good reputation', according to the source – 'brought some relief'. 'We feel that things will be fluid, less personal,' he added. A phrase Pope Leo uttered during his first meeting with the Curia on May 24 made a lasting impression: 'Popes come and go. The Curia remains.' This contrasts sharply with the criticism dealt out by Pope Francis, who accused the Curia early in his papacy of 'spiritual Alzheimer's' and a lust for power. Assurances 'It's clear we're in a phase of hug therapy,' commented a European diplomatic source. Another envoy to the Holy See added that Pope Leo was 'pursuing a unifying approach – exactly what he was elected to do'. Pope Francis was also accused by critics of sidelining doctrine in favour of social issues, notably migration, even if he did not, in fact, change major tenets of Catholic belief. In his first few weeks, Pope Leo reaffirmed the celibacy of priests, defined marriage as a union between a man and a woman, and urged bishops to stand firm against sexual abuse, a scandal that still roils the global Church. Despite criticising US President Donald Trump's migration policy before becoming pope, Pope Leo has barely mentioned the subject since taking office, although he has emphasised the importance of social justice . On the diplomatic front, Pope Leo has renewed calls for peace in Gaza and in Ukraine. He discussed the latter conflict with Russia's Vladimir Putin in a telephone call on June 4, where he urged the president to make a 'gesture that favours peace'. Pope Francis had not spoken to Mr Putin since before Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Just as his overtures to the Curia have been well received, Pope Leo's return to the traditional symbols of the papacy has been welcomed by those in the Church who accused Pope Francis of distorting the papal office. But Prof Mercier noted that this did not rule out change in the future. Pope Leo is aiming for a 'symbolic rebalancing that undoubtedly stems from the desire to unite the Catholic flock, which has given the impression of being polarised under Francis', he said. But, he added, it could also be a strategy 'to provide symbolic assurances to enable continued progress on the substance'. AFP
RNZ News
12-06-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Labour leapfrog National, but coalition keeps power in Taxpayers' Union poll
Both Christopher Luxon and Chris Hipkins saw their leadership numbers decline. Photo: RNZ Labour would be the largest party in Parliament - but the coalition would still cling onto power, according to a new poll. The latest Taxpayers' Union-Curia poll - the first the firm has conducted since the budget - sees Labour leapfrog National in popularity and parties outside parliament making slight gains. Party vote: The centre-right would have a combined 62 seats, down one seat from the previous poll. The centre-left is up two seats to 60. For the minor parties, TOP is on 1.8 percent (up 1.3 percentage point), Outdoors and Freedom is on 1.1 percent (up 0.7 points), New Conservatives are on 0.7 percent (up 0.7 points) and Vision NZ on 0.6 percent (up 0.2 points). Preferred prime minister: In the preferred Prime Minister stakes, both Christopher Luxon and Chris Hipkins have taken hits, with Luxon staying slightly ahead of Hipkins. Luxon is down 4.2 points from last month to 20.3 percent, while Hipkins is down 1.5 points to 18.5 percent. The poll was conducted by Curia Market Research Ltd for the NZ Taxpayers' Union. It is a random poll of 1f000 adult New Zealanders, weighted to the overall adult population. It was conducted by phone (landlines and mobile) and online between Saturday, 7 June and Monday 9 June 2025. It has a maximum margin of error of +/- 3.1%. Curia is a long-running and established pollster in New Zealand, which has resigned its membership from the Research Association New Zealand (RANZ) industry body. Polls compare to the most recent poll by the same polling company, as different polls can use different methologies. They are intended to track trends in voting preferences, showing a snapshot in time, rather than be a completely accurate predictor of the final election result. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Observer
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Observer
Pope takes message of dialogue, unity to the Curia
VATICAN CITY: Pope Leo XIV took his message of building bridges and promoting dialogue to the Roman Curia on Saturday, in his first audience with members of the Catholic Church's governing body. The late Pope Francis had sometimes difficult relations with the Curia and Vatican officials, accusing them early in his papacy of "spiritual Alzheimer's" and a lust for power. The new pontiff, the first from the United States, said on Saturday that his inaugural meeting was an opportunity to say thanks for all their work. "Popes come and go, the Curia remains," Leo told the audience of officials, staff and their families in the Vatican's vast Paul VI hall. He repeated his first words from St Peter's Basilica when he became pope on May 8, where he urged people to "build bridges" and to welcome "with open arms, everyone who needs our charity, our presence, dialogue and love". "If we must all cooperate in the great cause of unity and love, let us try to do so first of all with our behaviour in everyday situations, starting from the work environment," the pope said. "Everyone can be a builder of unity with their attitudes towards colleagues, overcoming inevitable misunderstandings with patience and humility, putting themselves in the shoes of others, avoiding prejudices, and also with a good dose of humour, as Pope Francis taught us." From decentralising power and increasing transparency to providing greater roles for lay people and women, Francis implemented several reforms of the Roman Curia. But his criticism left a lasting impression among many officials, and he also drew accusations of being too authoritarian in his governance, regularly bypassing the administrative bodies of the Holy See. In 2024, the Vatican also saw an unprecedented strike by around 50 employees of the Vatican Museums over their working conditions. The pope spent two decades working in Peru but for the past two years was head of the Vatican department responsible for appointing bishops worldwide.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Opinion - Leo XIV can reorient Vatican diplomacy away from Russia and China and toward the West
The new pope, Leo XIV, greeted his new flock from the Vatican loggia with a traditional Catholic greeting: 'Peace be with you all! … I would like this greeting of peace to resound in your hearts, in your families, among all people, wherever they may be, in every nation and throughout the world.' Traditionally, peace is the most important goal of the Vatican diplomacy. But Leo's understanding of it will likely be very different from that of his predecessor, Pope Francis. Pope Leo was elected as a compromise candidate because the leading candidate, Vatican secretary of State Pietro Cardinal Parolin, was damaged by actions of the Chinese government, which exploited vacancy on the papal throne to appoint two new bishops in China without Vatican approval. The 2018 agreement, negotiated by Parolin, stipulated that such nominations had to be approved by the Vatican. Since the Chinese government deliberately damaged its greatest ally in the Vatican, it is doubtful that that the new pope will extend this agreement after it expires in three years. The next most powerful candidate, Luis Cardinal Tagle of the Philippines, suffered a vicious attack just before the conclave that he is a habitual gambler. This attack, which might be completely spurious, seems to have knocked him out of the running. The choice devolved to aggressively promoted radically progressive candidates and more conservative ones, but none received the sympathy of the majority. Attention turned to Robert Prevost, who was supported by Latin Americans. He was a follower of Francis in his emphasis on pastoral activities and championing of the poor but also supported traditional liturgy. He had management experience in the Curia as prefect for church bishop nominations and as a general of the Augustinian order. He possessed a calm, cautious and balanced personality. When some conservative cardinals signaled that he was acceptable to them, a breakthrough occurred that led to his quick election. The question arises whether his American background was taken into consideration in the election. Even though he was born and educated in the U.S., he is culturally Latin American and was championed by Pope Francis and fellow Latin American bishops. Timothy Cardinal Dolan of New York said in a television interview that he never considered him a U.S. cardinal and only met him for the first time in Rome. Nevertheless, his U.S. birth will likely influence his policies. Latin Americans are often anti-American and with natural sympathy toward Russia. Leo XIV will not likely share such prejudices, since he is American and likely to share basic values of freedom, rule of law and free markets as a result of his U.S. education. This will have two major consequences in relations with Russia and with the U.S. Immediately after the conclave, Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a congratulatory message to Pope Leo with a wish to continue previous 'constructive dialogue' with the Vatican. But what was this constructive dialogue when Francis's 2016 meeting with Russian Patriarch Kirill in Havana was such a disappointment? Kirill, having promised to work for peace, instead betrayed Francis and became involved in championing the war as an adjunct to the Russian government. Francis felt compelled to bury his criticism of Russia due to his diplomatic obligations. But Pope Leo is not a party to Francis's declaration with Kirill. He is likely to be more outspoken and critical on the question of the Russian aggression in Ukraine. As far as relations with the U.S. are concerned, it seems that the main conflict between the Trump administration and Francis was the social issue of illegal immigration. Vice President JD Vance was the last public person to meet with Francis to discuss it with him. Even though Leo is promising to be as active as Francis in championing social issues threatening the dignity of the human person, such as poverty and exclusion, he announced at this Sunday's greeting that he considers threats posed by new technologies, such as artificial intelligence, to be most important in today's world. It is possible that he will find common positions with the American government on such concerns. Further, his American background might be useful to revitalize the American Catholic Church and solicit American donations for the Vatican's troubled budget. If he is to succeed, he must not be too confrontational toward American Catholics, who voted for President Trump by a large majority and support his policies. As Francis's funeral demonstrated, with its global delegations of royalty and national leaders, the Catholic Church retains its moral authority in the world. Its voice still matters. Today, the majority of Catholics reside in poor countries of the so-called Global South, and this is where its voice is heard most clearly. Francis's anti-American rhetoric and compromise Ostpolitik toward Russia and China indicated papal support for certain neutrality toward them and for policies of confrontation with the West. But Russia and China treated the Vatican instrumentally and used it as a fig leaf for their aggressive policies. It is unlikely that the Vatican will continue this course. Abandonment of discredited Ostpolitik toward Russia and China and of the anti-American bias in Vatican policy will lead to a chance to align the new pope with the West — not only in Ukraine but also in the Global South in general. This would be a significant step toward peace in the world. Lucja Swiatkowski Cannon, Ph.D., is a senior research fellow at the Institute of World Politics in Washington and a strategist, expert and author on Eastern Europe, Russia and U.S.-East European relations. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
14-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Leo XIV can reorient Vatican diplomacy away from Russia and China and toward the West
The new pope, Leo XIV, greeted his new flock from the Vatican loggia with a traditional Catholic greeting: 'Peace be with you all! … I would like this greeting of peace to resound in your hearts, in your families, among all people, wherever they may be, in every nation and throughout the world.' Traditionally, peace is the most important goal of the Vatican diplomacy. But Leo's understanding of it will likely be very different from that of his predecessor, Pope Francis. Pope Leo was elected as a compromise candidate because the leading candidate, Vatican secretary of State Pietro Cardinal Parolin, was damaged by actions of the Chinese government, which exploited vacancy on the papal throne to appoint two new bishops in China without Vatican approval. The 2018 agreement, negotiated by Parolin, stipulated that such nominations had to be approved by the Vatican. Since the Chinese government deliberately damaged its greatest ally in the Vatican, it is doubtful that that the new pope will extend this agreement after it expires in three years. The next most powerful candidate, Luis Cardinal Tagle of the Philippines, suffered a vicious attack just before the conclave that he is a habitual gambler. This attack, which might be completely spurious, seems to have knocked him out of the running. The choice devolved to aggressively promoted radically progressive candidates and more conservative ones, but none received the sympathy of the majority. Attention turned to Robert Prevost, who was supported by Latin Americans. He was a follower of Francis in his emphasis on pastoral activities and championing of the poor but also supported traditional liturgy. He had management experience in the Curia as prefect for church bishop nominations and as a general of the Augustinian order. He possessed a calm, cautious and balanced personality. When some conservative cardinals signaled that he was acceptable to them, a breakthrough occurred that led to his quick election. The question arises whether his American background was taken into consideration in the election. Even though he was born and educated in the U.S., he is culturally Latin American and was championed by Pope Francis and fellow Latin American bishops. Timothy Cardinal Dolan of New York said in a television interview that he never considered him a U.S. cardinal and only met him for the first time in Rome. Nevertheless, his U.S. birth will likely influence his policies. Latin Americans are often anti-American and with natural sympathy toward Russia. Leo XIV will not likely share such prejudices, since he is American and likely to share basic values of freedom, rule of law and free markets as a result of his U.S. education. This will have two major consequences in relations with Russia and with the U.S. Immediately after the conclave, Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a congratulatory message to Pope Leo with a wish to continue previous 'constructive dialogue' with the Vatican. But what was this constructive dialogue when Francis's 2016 meeting with Russian Patriarch Kirill in Havana was such a disappointment? Kirill, having promised to work for peace, instead betrayed Francis and became involved in championing the war as an adjunct to the Russian government. Francis felt compelled to bury his criticism of Russia due to his diplomatic obligations. But Pope Leo is not a party to Francis's declaration with Kirill. He is likely to be more outspoken and critical on the question of the Russian aggression in Ukraine. As far as relations with the U.S. are concerned, it seems that the main conflict between the Trump administration and Francis was the social issue of illegal immigration. Vice President JD Vance was the last public person to meet with Francis to discuss it with him. Even though Leo is promising to be as active as Francis in championing social issues threatening the dignity of the human person, such as poverty and exclusion, he announced at this Sunday's greeting that he considers threats posed by new technologies, such as artificial intelligence, to be most important in today's world. It is possible that he will find common positions with the American government on such concerns. Further, his American background might be useful to revitalize the American Catholic Church and solicit American donations for the Vatican's troubled budget. If he is to succeed, he must not be too confrontational toward American Catholics, who voted for President Trump by a large majority and support his policies. As Francis's funeral demonstrated, with its global delegations of royalty and national leaders, the Catholic Church retains its moral authority in the world. Its voice still matters. Today, the majority of Catholics reside in poor countries of the so-called Global South, and this is where its voice is heard most clearly. Francis's anti-American rhetoric and compromise Ostpolitik toward Russia and China indicated papal support for certain neutrality toward them and for policies of confrontation with the West. But Russia and China treated the Vatican instrumentally and used it as a fig leaf for their aggressive policies. It is unlikely that the Vatican will continue this course. Abandonment of discredited Ostpolitik toward Russia and China and of the anti-American bias in Vatican policy will lead to a chance to align the new pope with the West — not only in Ukraine but also in the Global South in general. This would be a significant step toward peace in the world. Lucja Swiatkowski Cannon, Ph.D., is a senior research fellow at the Institute of World Politics in Washington and a strategist, expert and author on Eastern Europe, Russia and U.S.-East European relations.
