Amid the celebration of our new Holy Father, I’d like to share some of my initial thoughts on Pope Leo XIV.
First and foremost: His name is inspiring.
Throughout the history of the Church, the name Leo has been associated with some stalwart defenders of truth and orthodoxy. From Leo the Great to Leo XIII, they’ve been defined by their theological courage. Leo the Great, for instance, was pivotal in the Council of Chalcedon in the year 451.
It’s especially exciting to consider potential parallels with Leo XIII. The 19th Century pope laid out the fundamental tenets of Catholic Social Teaching, giving the faithful an extraordinary guide for practicing the faith in the modern world. He also wrote the Saint Michael Prayer, which millions of us pray daily more than a hundred years later—a prayer the Napa Institute has recited after every Mass it sponsors.
Pope Leo XIII took the helm during the global Industrial Revolution, a time when life was radically changing in Europe and the United States. Jobs were shifting from agrarian labor to manufacturing, prompting vast social, economic, and spiritual transformations. Today, more than 30 years into the internet and dot-com revolutions, we are witnessing another seismic shift. Artificial Intelligence now harnesses these digital vehicles to revolutionize the way information is shared and problems are solved—often without exclusive reliance on human input. It will take a bold and visionary leader, much like Leo XIII, to guide the Church through this transformation. My prayer is that Pope Leo XIV rises to this call.
In the U.S., Leo XIII established the Catholic University of America, which is near and dear to my heart. The Busch School of Business is located at CUA, teaching generations of students about the intersection of Catholic Social Teaching and business. We teach Rerum Navarum and each encyclical which followed especially Centesmis Annus (the hundredth anniversary of Rerum Navarum issues by St. John Paul II in 1991). The Chapel at Busch School of Business at Catholic University of America is names St. Michael the Archangel and has a bronze of the St Michael prayer which is prayed at the two daily masses in the chapel.
My hope is that Pope Leo XIV continues in this fine tradition. He can help Catholics find new ways to understand and uphold Church teaching in the 21st Century.
One thing’s for sure: He assumes the Chair of St. Peter at a pivotal time. Even as we celebrate him, let’s pray for him, and for all the Church—that we be united, faithful, and servants like Christ.
Tim Busch
