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Whither Pope Leo XIV and the Church?
Yes, I know, it is too early in the pontificate of Pope Leo XIV to answer this question seriously, but it connects to a post I wrote in 2016 with a similar title: Whither Francis and the Church. That post was one of many that I wrote critical of Amoris Laetitia, a Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation written by Pope Francis on love and the family, that generated great controversy. In that document, Pope Francis paints marriage as an ideal rather than as an objective truth.
So turn to Pope Leo XIV: In a homily recently given at a Mass to celebrate the Jubilee of Families, Children, Grandparents, and the Elderly, he had this to say (emphasis mine):
In recent decades, we have received a sign that fills us with joy but also makes us think. It is the fact that several spouses have been beatified and canonized, not separately, but as married couples. I think of Louis and Zélie Martin, the parents of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus; and of Blessed Luigi and Maria Beltrame Quattrocchi, who raised a family in Rome in the last century. And let us not forget the Ulma family from Poland: parents and children, united in love and martyrdom. I said that this is a sign that makes us think. By pointing to them as exemplary witnesses of married life, the Church tells us that today’s world needs the marriage covenant in order to know and accept God’s love and to defeat, thanks to its unifying and reconciling power, the forces that break down relationships and societies.
For this reason, with a heart filled with gratitude and hope, I would remind all married couples that marriage is not an ideal but the measure of true love between a man and a woman: a love that is total, faithful and fruitful (cf. SAINT PAUL VI, Humanae Vitae, 9). This love makes you one flesh and enables you, in the image of God, to bestow the gift of life.
So there are signs. I think we could see quite a bit of this; a new clarity in teaching. This is a good thing. A mess was made, and pray God that it can continue to be cleaned up.
Next on your plate, Holy Father:
Pope Leo XIV Faces an Early Challenge: How to Deal With Pope Francis’ Restrictions on the Latin Mass
Several options are available to the Holy Father, who has pledged to heal divisions and build bridges within the Church.⤵️
via @EdwardPentinhttps://t.co/33e0UcETnj
— National Catholic Register (@NCRegister) June 4, 2025
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As a total aside: This is the house of Louis and Zelie Martin, who were mentioned in the pope’s homily.
Published in Religion and PhilosophyThe historic Watchmaking and Jewelry store of Louis Martin, father of Sainte-Thérèse de Lisieux, opened in 1850 has been burnt.
The fire was caused by road traffic offenders celebrating Paris's football victory. 😡 pic.twitter.com/w9ZoQ2OOTl— Barbara Brent (@BarbaraBrendt) June 3, 2025
If one of his first messages is to do with family I take that as a very good sign indeed. I also think the distinction he makes (fundamental truth vs stray ideal) is a mark of a big difference to Francis’ views. Get married and have babies is quite different to apologizing for not being welcoming to people who don’t have children.
Although I acknowledge that yes, it is too soon to make any conclusions about the direction Pope Leo XIV will be taking, I see hopeful signs. Thanks for the excerpt from his homily, which adds to my sense of hope. The Pope’s background as a mathematician and a canon lawyer suggests that he will be careful and restrained in his speech. I don’t think making messes is in this Pope’s agenda. I feel such relief.