Leo 13, The First American Pope

Leo 13, The First American Pope

By choosing the name, Leo, the first American pope indicated his intention to speak up for justice and peace as did Pope Leo 13 in his groundbreaking encyclical Rerum Novarum.

Pope Francis as Peacemaker

During his 12-year ministry as Bishop of Rome, Pope Francis was a consistent advocate for peace, calling on Christians to follow the example of Jesus, the Prince of Peace, and advocating for the elimination of all nuclear weapons.

Pope Francis and Synodality

Pope Francis, who mistrusted top-down attempts at Church renewal and trusted the faith instincts of ordinary believers, worked to renew the mission of the Church through “synodality”, an approach that emphasized shared prayer and small group discussions.

Pope Francis and Climate Change

In his encyclical on care for our common home, Pope Francis supported the ratification of the Paris Agreement and called on all members of the human family to do our part to reduce global warming.

Caring for the Poor

Pope Francis, the first Latin American Bishop of Rome, drew on liberation theology to help the poor take hold of their lives.