What’s in a name?

Romeo and Juliet, Act 2 Scene 2

We know that popes choose very carefully the name by which they wish to be known.

The late Pope Francis chose the name of the Poverello of Assisi to broadcast to the world he would endeavour to imitate his humility, poverty and simplicity. He would be a ‘no-nonsense’ pope and would identify with the poor, marginalised and outcasts. He certainly would not be seduced by the fripperies which characterised Benedict XVI, nor would he aspire to the monarchical splendour of a Pius XII.

Robert Prevost has similarly given out an unequivocal message as to what kind of pope he will aspire to be by adopting the name of Leo XIV: a pope who will, presumably, reflect the values embodied in two of his namesakes: Leo the Great (440-461) and Leo XIII (1878-1903).

But before we plunge into the ramifications of the name, a few words about what Leo XIV has inherited from his predecessors: what his inbox contains.

Already, a few days after his election, there is speculation about what he will prioritise: will he sort out the dire Vatican finances? He has mathematical training so numbers and figures will not intimidate him.

Then there is the dark pall of the clerical abuse of children still hanging over the Church since the pontificate of John Paul II. Will he, once and for all, rid the Church of this dreadful legacy?

The new pope has entered the world stage at a particularly tumultuous time when old allegiances are in jeopardy; armed conflicts are widespread and war, famine, ethnic cleansing and racial hatred are rife.

Though a Chicagoan by birth, Leo XIV has spent many years doing missionary work in Peru, speaks Spanish fluently and identifies more readily with the global south than with the rich, capitalist, materialistic world of the U.S.A.

He worked among the indigenous people in Peru so the hard struggle to survive is not something alien to his nature.

While in Peru, he witnessed the polarisation which he hopes to bridge, after all pontifex means ‘bridge builder.’

There, he encountered priests who believe in the values of ‘liberation theology’, a form of Christianity which emphasises social justice and the rights of the poor; we could say this represents an extreme leftist position, one which the official church finds difficult to accommodate.

Then, at the other extreme, he found the dogmatic, inflexible teachings of Opus Dei, an organisation which cultivates secrecy and doubtful practices.

Leo XIV must see his role as mediator and try to exercise a moderating influence.

The choice of name suggests he will continue in the progressive vein of his predecessor, Leo XIII, whose groundbreaking encyclical, Rerum Novarum (Of new things), paved the way for the acceptance of political modernity, which had been rejected by his predecessor Pio Nono (Pius IX).

Leo’s letter also included a Christian defence of workers’ rights. Though the Church would not blend seamlessly with the modern world or accept all its values (among which were found atheism, communism and secularism), it would henceforth speak to the contemporary world and enjoy a relevance Pio Nono had sabotaged.

How will Leo the Great’s legacy be reflected in the new pope’s pontificate?

Leo engaged in sorting out some theological niceties regarding the two natures of Christ, the divine and human. In his famous Tome, he defined forever what became the Church’s orthodox teaching.

I don’t think Leo XIV will tamper with any of this. However, his predecessor’s clash with political brutality when he inexplicably convinced Attila the Hun, the most barbaric of the barbarians, to spare Rome, resonates now when the present Leo faced off Washington and its demonisation of immigrants. He also corrected JD Vance when the latter donned the mantle of biblical exegete and gave a myopic interpretation of Jesus’s commandment of love. The amateur biblical critic had not read what must be the most famous parable, that of the good Samaritan.

What must we not expect from the new pope? He has made it clear that the ordination of women is not on his agenda; the requirement of celibacy for all clergy, which is only a disciplinary matter not an article of faith, will remain. Probably, the blessing of same sex unions will not occur, but he will look on LGBTQIA+ rights with understanding and compassion. He is a hardliner as regards abortion.

However, his experience in Peru has meant that he is aware of how multifaceted the 21st century church has become. With Francis, the Eurocentric nature of the Church disappeared; it is no longer a monolithic institution, but truly global and diverse. It will continue to be patriarchal but not paternalistic. Women will enjoy greater representation, but they will not exercise any executive power.

Leo XIII instituted a quiet intellectual revolution when, in the encyclical Aeterni Patris, he elevated the philosophy of Thomas Aquinas as the official philosophy of the Church. This swept away a great deal of second-hand, jejune scholasticism. However, in time, the revived Thomism also became ossified and a hindrance to intellectual exploration and experimentation.

I think that Leo XIV’s Augustinian background should enable him to shake off any lingering Thomism. It seems he sprinkles his homilies with quotes from Augustine of Hippo; his Confessions, the first spiritual biography, is often referenced and held up as a shining example of interiority: “in interiore hominis habitat veritas”- truth is found in the inner person or inside you.

It would be unfair to predict how the new pope will tackle the many challenges (a lack of vocations is one he has already earmarked) facing the Church in an age of rampant materialism, political uncertainty, environmental decay, social upheaval and sheer indifferentism.

He will need the charismatic presence of Francis, the social sensitivity of Leo XIII, the bonhomie and love of John XXIII, the bravery and determination of the Leo the Great.

His first interventions show he has some of these sterling qualities.