We are living in an age of profound polarisation. Whether in matters of governance or faith, institutions and nations alike are increasingly compelled to take sides. In such moments, dominant factions often emerge–but frequently at the cost of unity. The pre-conclave gatherings of cardinals took place within this climate of polarisation, and perhaps it was in response to this that Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, during the Mass for the Election of the Roman Pontiff, spoke meaningfully about the need for “unity in diversity,” a unity that is strong and marked by “profound communion in diversity, provided that full fidelity to the Gospel is maintained.” “May the Pope elected may be he whom the Church and humanity need at this difficult, complex, and troubled turning point in history.” The election of Pope Leo may well have been the conclave’s answer to that aspiration.
Virtus in medio stat–virtue stands in the middle wrote St Augustine (De Civitate Dei, XIX.4). As “a son of St. Augustine, an Augustinian” Pope Leo seems to embody that spirit. His vision for the Church appears grounded in the conviction that the way forward amidst polarisation is through the via media–the middle path. This is not a path of indecision, but one of integration: a sacred way of harmonising differences without diminishing truth. It is likely this virtue of the middle way that his fellow cardinals discerned in him.
And yet, Pope Leo is more than just a centrist. Born into the economic affluence of the United States and shaped by its comforts and privileges, he later pursued higher studies in Rome. But instead of embracing a career in comfort, he chose to serve in Peru–a country marked by poverty and marginalisation. He ministered there for many years, learnt the local language, adopted Peruvian citizenship, and immersed himself in the lives of the poor. This personal journey–from American wealth to Peruvian humility–speaks far more eloquently than any homily. It testifies to a deeply rooted missionary vocation. Indeed, we may now speak of him as the Missionary Pope. Perhaps the path the Church is now called to walk—one of humility, presence, and solidarity–finds its clearest outline in his life.
While many regard him as a moderate voice and a conciliatory figure, his digital presence tells a more challenging story. With an active presence on X (formerly Twitter) for over 14 years and more than 400 posts, Pope Leo is no stranger to bold, pointed commentary. Many of his statements have unsettled the powerful. When the U.S. Vice President JD Vance deviously used the concept of ordo amoris – and claimed that one has the responsibility to love his family or neighbour first and then to the country and fellow citizens, then Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost replied: “Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others.” In that single sentence, he held a mirror up not only to conservative political thought, but also to divisions within the Church itself.
In his homily during his first Mass as Pope on Friday, 9 May 2025, with the Cardinal electors and other Cardinals present in Rome, Pope Leo XIV called for always better cultivating a personal relationship with Christ; and he insisted that, without faith, life lacks meaning. He recalled that “Saint Ignatius (of Antioch), who was led in chains to this city, the place of his impending sacrifice, wrote to the Christians there: ‘Then I will truly be a disciple of Jesus Christ, when the world no longer sees my body.’” “Ignatius,” Pope Leo explained, “was speaking about being devoured by wild beasts in the arena – and so it happened,” he clarified, adding, “But, his words apply more generally to an indispensable commitment for all those in the Church who exercise a ministry of authority.” Specifically, he underscored, that commitment “is to move aside so that Christ may remain, to make oneself small so that he may be known and glorified, to spend oneself to the utmost so that all may have the opportunity to know and love Him.”
History remembers a man named Leo who walked faithfully beside St Francis of Assisi. Today, in what may be providence rather than coincidence, another Leo arrives to walk alongside Pope Francis–himself a reviver of the Franciscan spirit within the Church. Together, they form a continuity of compassion, humility, and mission. May this Missionary Pope walk steadfastly with the Church, hand in hand with Francis, as they lead her down new and courageous paths.
