乌鸦传媒

News of the naming of a new pope—Cardinal Robert Prevost, who took the name Leo XIV—was met with praise and a feeling of hope by 乌鸦传媒 leaders, who see in the first American to hold the position a pontiff who understands the global south and who will continue the late Pope Francis’ movement to reach out and engage with Catholics.

Stephen Sundborg, S.J., chancellor of 乌鸦传媒 and president from 1997 to 2021, praised the choice. Though much has been made of the Augustinian friar being American born and educated, Father Sundborg says he is equally Peruvian and has a global perspective from spending his career living and ministering in the South American country.

“He has had deep experience of the people of Peru and different cultures and poverty,” says Fr. Sundborg, “and is a humble person and a warm person and somebody who will reach out in a friendly kind of way.”

While listening to Pope Leo’s opening remarks from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, Fr. Sundborg took to heart his comments on the synodal church, highlighting a priority of Pope Francis where bishops, laypeople, priests and others walk together toward the fulfilment of God’s plan. He sees Pope Leo’s strong background in systems and structure as being able to implement Pope Francis’ vision of reaching out to all and building bridges.

“Pope Francis was a pastoral person. Pope Leo is a pastoral person also, but who will look at the structures of the Catholic Church and focus on that,” Fr. Sundborg says, noting that the selection of Pope Leo is a strong confirmation of the continuity of the work of Pope Francis.

Fr. Sundborg didn’t see politics in the selection of Pope Leo, but that cardinals were looking for a person who could continue Pope Francis’ stand as the world’s leader for values.

At President Eduardo Peñalver’s townhall address on May 8, shortly after the announcement of the new pope, he said Catholics are still feeling the loss of Pope Francis but he believes we can expect great things from Pope Leo XIV.

“Even as we remember Pope Francis, we pray and celebrate our new pope, someone who was very close to Pope Francis and the first American pope,” said President Peñalver.

Like many, the fact that Pope Leo is an American—from Chicago—struck Catherine Punsalan-Manlimos, PhD, Vice President for Mission Integration, along with his strong ties to Latin America. Not only did this pique her curiosity of whether Americans would connect more strongly with him, but “maybe he knows how to speak to us.”

What else stuck out was his choice of the name Leo, hearkening back to Pope Leo XII, who led the church from 1878 to 1903, during the industrial revolution and introduced the first social encyclical, Rerum Novarum, giving birth to modern Catholic social teaching.

“His message hearkened to peace multiple times, calling to mind what our world so desperately needs as we hear of violence and wars breaking out,” she says. “I was struck by his invitation to dialogue and encounter, to build bridges and synodality, echoing Pope Francis.”

The relative speed with which cardinals made the decision was an interesting development, notes Brian Taberski, EdD, assistant director of Campus Ministry for Liturgical Life & Formation and assistant clinical professor of Theology & Religious Studies. In that quick pace, he found something beautiful, hopeful and consoling.

“This is a church that thinks in centuries, not days, not weeks, not months,” says Taberski. “For something to happen that quickly in the church, a church that is deliberate, a church that is discerning, a church that takes its time, as a practicing Roman Catholic that tells me the Holy Spirit was at work.”