Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Top Stories

The American Pope

Pope Leo XIV is viewed as a figure who embodies a blend of both conservative and progressive viewpoints.

The American Pope

The newly elected Pontiff, Pope Leo XIV is seen for the first time from the Vatican balcony on May 8, 2025 in Vatican City, Vatican.

(Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost made history on Thursday by being elected as the pope, marking the first time an American has been chosen for this role within the Roman Catholic Church. At 69 years old, he has taken on the papal name Leo XIV.

Originally from Chicago, Prevost has dedicated much of his ministry to Peru. His election occurred on the second day of the cardinals' conclave in Vatican City, after four ballots were cast.


In Lima, Peru’s capital, the cathedral bells rang after it was announced that Prevost was Pope Francis’ successor.

“For us Peruvians, it is a source of pride that this is a pope who represents our country,” elementary school teacher Isabel Panez told the Associated Press.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson described Prevost's election as "the greatest moment in the history of the greatest city." In an interview with ABC News Live, Johnson noted that Prevost was "born in Chicago, educated in Chicago, and returned to serve this city." He also acknowledged Prevost's understanding of the significance of immigration.

Like Pope Francis before him, Prevost has supported marginalized groups, including immigrants.

In a February 2025 social media post that gained significant attention, he addressed Vice President J.D. Vance, a Catholic convert, stating that Vance was “wrong” in his efforts to find a theological rationale for the administration's immigration policies. Prevost emphasized that “Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others.”

Sign up for The Fulcrum newsletter

Before entering the Conclave, Prevost shared a post criticizing President Donald Trump and Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele for their comments regarding the deportation and detention of Kilmar Abrego Garcia. In this post, he referenced an article from Catholic Standard that drew parallels between the struggles faced by immigrant and refugee communities and the Passion of Jesus Christ.

President Trump congratulated Pope Leo on Truth Social, writing, "It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country."

The new pope is viewed as a figure who embodies a blend of both conservative and progressive viewpoints, particularly on social issues. He is generally seen as aligned with Pope Francis, who appointed him to the Vatican's Dicastery for Bishops and has overseen various reforms within the Church.

Leo maintains traditional perspectives on matters such as same-sex unions. His upcoming papacy is anticipated to offer a fresh outlook for the Catholic Church, with the potential to continue some of the reforms initiated by Francis while also addressing the existing divisions within the Church.

Some advocates expressed opposition to Prevost's candidacy for the papacy due to allegations of mishandling sex abuse cases in Peru and Chicago. His diocese has stated that the accusations were addressed per Church policy at the time.

Here’s some of what The 19th lists as what Pope Leo XIV has said over the years on several issues:

LGBTQ+ people

Leo is seen as less progressive on queer issues. The New York Times noted in a recent story that as a bishop in Peru, he opposed a plan to include gender teaching in school, noting that, “The promotion of gender ideology is confusing, because it seeks to create genders that don’t exist.”

Climate change

In the past, Leo stressed that the world should move “from words to action,” and that humans should have a reciprocal relationship with the environment. He supported the Vatican’s shift to solar panels and electric vehicle usage.

Pope Leo earned degrees from Villanova University in Philadelphia, the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, and the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome.

He spent approximately two decades serving in Peru, where he became a naturalized citizen. In 2014, Pope Francis appointed him as the Bishop of Chiclayo. In 2023, Leo was elevated to the rank of cardinal.

Leo is recognized as the 267th Roman Catholic pontiff, serving as the spiritual leader of over one billion Catholics worldwide.

The previous pontiff, Pope Francis, passed away on April 21 at the age of 88.

Hugo Balta is the executive editor of the Fulcrum and a board member of the Bridge Alliance Education Fund, the parent organization of The Fulcrum. He is the publisher of the Latino News Network and an accredited Solutions Journalism and Complicating the Narratives trainer with the Solutions Journalism Network.

Read More

Bridgebuilding Effectiveness

Hands together in unison.

Getty Images, VioletaStoimenova

Bridgebuilding Effectiveness

In a time of deep polarization and democratic fragility, bridgebuilding has become a go-to approach for fostering civic cohesion in the U.S. Yet questions persist: Does it work? And how do we know?

With declining trust, rising partisanship, and even political violence, many are asking what the role of dialogue might be in meeting democracy’s demands. The urgency is real—and so is the need for more strategic, evidence-based approaches.

Keep ReadingShow less
The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same
a red hat that reads make america great again

The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same

Recently, while listening to a podcast, I came across the term “reprise” in the context of music and theater. A reprise is a repeated element in a performance—a song or scene returning to reinforce themes or emotions introduced earlier. In a play or film, a familiar melody might reappear, reminding the audience of a previous moment and deepening its significance.

That idea got me thinking about how reprise might apply to the events shaping our lives today. It’s easy to believe that the times we are living through are entirely unprecedented—that the chaos and uncertainty we experience are unlike anything before. Yet, reflecting on the nature of a reprise, I began to reconsider. Perhaps history does not simply move forward in a straight line; rather, it cycles back, echoing familiar themes in new forms.

Keep ReadingShow less
Following Jefferson: Promoting Intergenerational Understanding Through Constitution-Making

An illustration depicting the U.S. Constitution and Government.

Getty Images, Douglas Rissing

Following Jefferson: Promoting Intergenerational Understanding Through Constitution-Making

Towards the end of his life, Thomas Jefferson became fatalistic. The prince and poet of the American Revolution brooded—about the future of the country he birthed, to be sure; but also about his health, his finances, his farm, his family, and, perhaps most poignantly, his legacy. “[W]hen all our faculties have left…” he wrote to John Adams in 1822, “[when] every avenue of pleasing sensation is closed, and athumy, debility, and malaise [is] left in their places, when the friends of our youth are all gone, and a generation is risen around us whom we know not, is death an evil?”

The question was rhetorical, of course. But it revealed something about his character. Jefferson was aware that Adams and he—the “North and South poles of the Revolution”—were practically the only survivors of the Revolutionary era, and that a new generation was now in charge of America’s destiny.

Keep ReadingShow less
Defining the Democracy Movement: Francis Johnson
- YouTube

Defining the Democracy Movement: Francis Johnson

The Fulcrum presents The Path Forward: Defining the Democracy Reform Movement. Scott Warren's interview series engages diverse thought leaders to elevate the conversation about building a thriving and healthy democratic republic that fulfills its potential as a national social and political game-changer. This initiative is the start of focused collaborations and dialogue led by The Bridge Alliance and The Fulcrum teams to help the movement find a path forward.

The latest interview of this series took place with Francis Johnson, the founding partner of Communications Resources, a public affairs organization, and the former President of Take Back Our Republic. This non-partisan organization advocates for conservative solutions to campaign finance reform. A veteran of Republican politics, Francis has been at the forefront of structural reform efforts, including initiatives like ranked-choice voting.

Keep ReadingShow less