Why the name LEO?!?
How did the Holy Father choose his name?
A Few Thoughts on Pope Leo XIV
I am thrilled to have an American Pope. What an amazing thing! Hearing the Holy Father yesterday morning speak in English with an American accent during his first papal homily was a joy. But, beyond that novelty, WHAT he said was exceptional.
You can access the full transcript HERE—including a video—from Catholic News Agency.
Among the many wonderful things the Holy Father said in his homily, this is by far my favorite quote:
“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Mt 16:16). In these words, Peter, asked by the Master, together with the other disciples, about his faith in him, expressed the patrimony that the Church, through the apostolic succession, has preserved, deepened, and handed on for 2,000 years.
Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God: the one Savior who alone reveals the face of the Father. (Pope Leo XIV’s First Homily)
It is my favorite quote because it clearly and unequivocally says that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and is the one Savior who alone reveals the face of the Father. I have defended and critiqued Pope Francis on this channel multiple times and I do not mean to cast aspersions on him. But during his pontificate he said the following—with no clarification from the Holy See Press Office:
“All religions are paths to God… There is only one God, and religions are like languages, paths to reach God. Some Sikh, some Muslim, some Hindu, some Christian.” (Commonweal Magazine)
For the Vicar of Christ to say such things is an outrage and an objective heresy. I am not saying that Pope Francis was a heretic; that is far above my pay grade. But what he said here—again, without clarification offered—is horribly untrue, erroneous, and contrary to the one Gospel.
To hear Pope Leo XIV in his first homily joyfully uphold the truth of the Gospel and flatly contradict the ill-advised words of Pope Francis on this subject was marvelous indeed. He also entered the Mass with the ferula (papal cross staff) of Blessed Pope Pius IX, said the Mass in impeccably pronounced Latin, used the thurible adeptly, and celebrated the liturgy with a noble simplicity and humble regality.
His first address to the world as pope on Thursday was also excellent. He spoke of peace, unity, and the joy of the Risen Christ. He invoked the prayers of the Blessed Mother and led the world in the recitation of the Hail Mary. He gave a beautiful blessing in Latin to the world, invoking again the Blessed Mother, as well as the Apostles Peter and Paul. He smiled warmly, shed tears, and his confreres were ecstatic.
It appears that the Holy Father had the backing of Cardinals Dolan, Burke, Tobin, and Cupich. Such a thing would have seemed impossible. Yet, here is the man. Pope Leo XIV.
What a name! Pope Leo XIII is by far one of my favorite popes. He was stern in teaching and should have been hated by the reigning monarchs in Europe in the late 1800s, and, still, he was beloved by all. He was a pastor at heart. He began a resurgence of scholastic scholarship and study of St. Thomas Aquinas. Rerum Novarum, which I referenced in my episode on the dignity of work, was written by Pope Leo XIII. For the modern world, the pope reframed and relaunched the Social Doctrine of the Church (Catholic Social Teaching - CST).
For Pope Leo XIV to choose the name Leo was intentional. As soon as I heard the name, I thought of CST. Today we received confirmation in his address to the cardinals that this was his exact intention.
In his first address to the College of Cardinals, Pope Leo XIV expressed gratitude for the support of the cardinals following the death of Pope Francis and the challenges of the recent conclave. He emphasized that the Church’s mission continues as a “paschal event,” drawing strength from the Risen Christ and guided by the Holy Spirit. He invoked the legacy of his predecessors, especially Pope Francis’ call to evangelization, and reaffirmed the Church’s commitment to the path set by the Second Vatican Council, highlighting themes from Evangelii Gaudium like synodality, missionary conversion, and care for the marginalized.
Of his namesake, he said this:
“Sensing myself called to continue in this same path, I chose to take the name Leo XIV. There are different reasons for this, but mainly because Pope Leo XIII in his historic Encyclical Rerum Novarum addressed the social question in the context of the first great industrial revolution. In our own day, the Church offers to everyone the treasury of her social teaching in response to another industrial revolution and to developments in the field of artificial intelligence that pose new challenges for the defence of human dignity, justice and labour.” (10 May 2025)
WOW! My goodness… I am so excited about this pontificate. There are thousands of articles on the background and formation of Pope Leo XIV. What I offer here is my own commentary on the last couple of days. I cannot wait to see what Pope Leo offers us.
Often, I have found that the post-conciliar hearken back to the Second Vatican Council and their immediate predecessors. Pope Leo XIV has done both so far. But he has also chosen the name Leo and, thus, rooted himself in the full tradition of the Church. As an Augustinian, he called himself a son of St. Augustine and he quoted St. Ignatius of Antioch in his first homily—establishing himself as a pope rooted in the Church Fathers.
Pope Leo XIV could transcend political divisions, root the Church back fully in the Gospel of Christ, and lead Catholics of all stripes back firmly to the heart of the Father, docile to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. For too long have we dealt with division within the Church. Progressives in Germany and radical traditionalists around the world have openly expressed optimism with the new pope. This can only be described as a miracle.
But he is a Eucharistic and Marian pope, rooted in the patristic age, attentive to Canon Law, and with a temperament well suited to the Petrine Office. And, wonder of wonders… he is an American. Wow.
Let us pray for Pope Leo. He has work cut out for him.
Study Catholic Social Teaching this June
Understanding the direction of this papacy will mean understanding the Catholic Social Teaching of the Church. Providentially, I will be teaching a full college-level course on CST this June with the Institute of Catholic Theology. It is accessible entirely online. I highly recommend that you sign up! And if you are currently in college, there is an option to get credit for this course at most universities!
More information HERE.
