Launching his papacy with a call for reconciliation and communion, Pope Leo XIV formally began his ministry as the successor of St. Peter by calling for

Pope Leo XIV will formally take up his role as leader of the global Catholic Church on Sunday, with a Mass in St. Peter's Square that will draw tens of thousands of well-wishers, including dozens of world leaders and European royalty.

A résumé of deep religious education, frontline pastoral experience, parish management and Vatican governance — along with a nudge from Pope Francis — put Robert Prevost on the fast track.

Survivors say Pope Leo must commit to transparency in investigations of priests accused of sexual abuse. His record on doing so in past years has some worried.

Jetlagged but excited, Pope Leo XIV’s brother, John Prevost, is catching up on daily life after a whirlwind few days in the Vatican.

While it is far too early to say how he will use his platform to address such issues, his focus shows he is a church leader who grasps the gravity of this modern concern.

Averting a financial crisis “will rank among most pressing issues for the new pontiff,” says Charles Gillespie, PhD, professor at Sacred Heart University in Connecticut.

Members of the media floated the notion that Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope, will serve as a counterbalance to President Donald Trump.