Pope Leo Celebrates First Year as Pope – Q&A with Cardinal Leo
To mark the one-year anniversary of Pope Leo XIV’s election on May 8, His Eminence Frank Cardinal Leo shared his reflections on our first North American Pope with The Catholic Register. Please see highlights below.
Heavenly Father,
we continue to pray for Pope Leo XIV.
Grant him wisdom to guide Your Church,
courage to speak Your truth,
and compassion to reflect Your love.
Strengthen him in his ministry,
protect him in all trials,
and fill him with the peace of Christ.
Amen.
1. What has stood out about Pope Leo in your personal interactions with him over the past year? Is there an experience with him that you cherish the most?
What has struck me most about Pope Leo is his attentiveness — he has a remarkable ability to be fully present to the person in front of him. Whether in formal meetings or brief encounters, he listens with great care and responds with both clarity and gentleness. In my brief interactions with him, I am moved by his humility and his focus on the pastoral dimension of every decision he must discern, inspired always by the Gospel, that is, by the lifegiving teaching and example of Christ. His calm demeanour and humility are hallmarks of his style of governance. I have been privileged to speak with him on a few occasions and I have noted his genuine concern for the People of God as well as his generosity and prophetic courage inspired by divine wisdom in understanding a given challenge. He cares and takes the time to discern together the next steps.
2. The Universal Church is still very much in the process of discovering Pope Leo, but what are some qualities and aspects of him that are already standing out to you?
While the Universal Church is still coming to know Pope Leo, certain qualities are already clear. He brings a calm steadiness as our Holy Father, coupled with a deep intellectual grounding, a profound spiritual and prayer life rooted in the great Augustinian tradition and a sincere pastoral heart. There is a sense that he is listening carefully — to the bishops, to the faithful, and to the broader world — before acting. At the same time, he is not hesitant to speak with clarity when needed. That balance of reflection and decisiveness is something that has already begun to illuminate his pontificate. He is also a wonderful listener, which we have witnessed both publicly and through his desire to consult with and hear from cardinals and others as a key dimension of his daily ministry. His leadership truly embodies these outstanding traits and fills us with hope. Of course, from the first moment he stepped onto the balcony as the Vicar of Christ, his clarion call for unity and peace speak to his heart of a shepherd who loves and wishes to gather us all in Christ. This vision is also underscored by his motto which appeals to the need for us to reject polarizations and endeavour to live and witness to authentic unity which is rooted solely in God and only in Him can it flourish and nourish our walk of faith.
3. What does it say to you that Pope Leo is already entrusting you with many important dicastery assignments and the opportunity to serve as Papal Legate?
To be entrusted with these responsibilities by the Holy Father is most humbling. I see these assignments as a call to deeper service, supporting the ministry of the Successor to St. Peter. Pope Leo seems to place a strong emphasis on collaboration and shared responsibility within the Church’s governance. His confidence is, I believe, an invitation to contribute faithfully and to serve with a spirit of communion, humility and generosity. It also reflects his desire to engage a wide range of voic
es and experiences in the life of the Church. I am blessed to do whatever I can to assist his efforts of evangelization and pastoral care for the flock of Christ.
4. What sights and sounds from your first papal conclave have stuck with you almost a year later?
The conclave is a profoundly spiritual experience that remains vivid in ways that are difficult to fully describe. What stands out is certainly the deep sense of prayer and silence — punctuated, of course, by the solemn rituals and the weight of the moment. The rhythm of the ballots being cast, the prayerful environment as we meditated before the Last Judgment in the Sistine Chapel, and the awareness of the responsibility entrusted to the College of Cardinals are all memories that endure. But perhaps most striking was the sense of the beauty, unity and universality of the Catholic faith incarnated in the Church's experience and tradition that emerged as the ancient election process unfolded — shared discernment guided by the Holy Spirit and a deep awareness of the needs of the Church on the one hand and on the other, her relevance in a world that desperately needs to know the Lord and experience his love and light.
