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Entering Second Year of Papacy, Pope Leo XIV Faces Both Historic and Novel Challenges

Apr 22, 2026

5 min

Jaisy A. Joseph, PhDLuca Cottini, PhDPatrick McKinley Brennan, JDIlia Delio, OSF, PhD

In his first appearance on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Leo XIV shared with the world a message of hope, communion and reconciliation, emphasizing the need to “build bridges with dialogue and encounter so we can all be one people always in peace.”


Throughout the last 12 months, the Pontiff has placed these values at the forefront of his work and ministry, pairing active collaboration with prayerful contemplation in his leadership of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics. In the coming years, that emphasis is likely to continue, as the Pope addresses longstanding rifts and evolving challenges within the Church and beyond.


Asked to consider the most striking aspects of his early papacy, and to reflect on the most pressing issues he currently faces, Villanova faculty members studying the pontificate had a wide variety of responses.


Jaisy A. Joseph, PhD

Assistant Professor of Theology and Religious Studies


For Dr. Joseph, Pope Leo’s first year has been defined by a spiritual vision centered on unity, listening and shared responsibility.


“From the beginning of his papacy, Leo emphasized that we are a synodal Church working towards peace and moving forward together. Leo’s Augustinian formation will absolutely leave its imprint on what Pope Francis started. While the two have distinct personalities and styles, there is a fundamental continuity with Francis that Leo has signaled. Leo stresses that at the core of the Church is a deeper desire for a spirituality of ‘we’—a Church rooted in deep listening and bold speaking. This is where the Augustinian charism makes itself known.


“This unity does not erase differences. Instead, it asks, ‘How do we create friendships that are strong enough to bear the tensions of our differences?’ In a world shaped by ‘us versus them,’ Leo insists on recognizing Christ in the completely different ‘other.’


“Finally, his leadership style is marked by discernment. Listening is so critical to him, and any caution he displays is not out of fear but wanting to listen before speaking. In a noisy world, he insists that we just need silence—trusting that through shared listening, the Church can move forward together.”


Luca Cottini, PhD

Professor of Italian Studies


For Dr. Cottini, Pope Leo’s first year has been marked by a clear effort to position the Church in active dialogue with the modern world—especially in response to emerging global challenges, migration and an increasingly interconnected faith community. He draws parallels to the priorities of Leo XIV’s namesake, Pope Leo XIII.


“Catholic social doctrine is a doctrine that the Church established to address subjects that are not directly written about in the Gospel. This doctrine was important for Pope Leo XIII and is increasingly important for Leo XIV as well. ‘Leo’ is a name that relates back to Catholic social doctrine and the need to read the changing signs of the times. By choosing the name ‘Leo,’ the Pope signaled his desire to respond to contemporary issues.


“Leo XIV has also harkened back to Leo XIII in his first year by viewing migration and immigration not as a plight, but rather as an opportunity to enter into contact with new worlds. This approach connects to Leo XIV’s own background and perspective, which includes both proximity to and distance from the United States, giving him both an outsider and insider perspective as well as a critical thinking lens on these issues.


“Lastly, Leo XIV has used his first year to elevate this idea of a universal Church that is much needed, shaped by his global exposure and an ability to see the world through the lens of others. He sees that we can dialogue with the world, approaching modernity not as an enemy but as something to engage with.”


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Patrick McKinley Brennan, JD

John F. Scarpa Chair in Catholic Legal Studies


According to Professor Brennan, “One of the issues that is on the Pope’s radar and has been from before the conclave is the question of the traditional Latin Mass,” a cause championed by various cardinals, bishops, priests and lay faithful around the globe. As he shares, it is a matter of great interest to a small but growing number of Catholics who recall Pope Benedict XVI’s statement that the traditional Mass—the Mass as it was celebrated by most Catholics since 1570—was “never juridically abrogated” following the Second Vatican Council.


“Pope John Paul II in the 1980s, and then Pope Benedict XVI in 2007, liberalized access around the world to the traditional Mass. But Pope Francis revoked most of those permissions, citing ‘facts’ that have subsequently been called into question by investigative journalists and others. Pope Francis issued a document called Traditionis custodes, which [went against] the permissions that Benedict XVI gave in a document called Summorum pontificum in July 2007.


“Now, the leadership of the Society of St. Pius X [an anti-modernist priestly fraternity] have announced that they’re going to ordain new bishops, the exact thing that got some of their predecessors excommunicated in 1988, so that the traditional Mass can continue to be celebrated and other sacraments can continue to be provided to Catholics according to the traditional rites. Reading between the lines, I think the Society of St. Pius X is trying to force Pope Leo’s hand on the Latin Mass. He’s been biding his time, working out how to respond to this hard question, and I think they’ve just decided that it’s an all-or-nothing situation.


“It’s an example of how Pope Leo inherited some big problems, and I think most of the cardinals who elected him thought that they had chosen someone who, because he can listen and is committed to unity, will try his very best to find a solution that remains faithful to Catholic doctrine while bringing in as many voices as possible. Ironically, Pope Francis reduced legitimate diversity in Catholic liturgy, and while Pope Leo has a chance to restore that diversity, he has to do so in a way that addresses the irregular situation of the Society of St. Pius X.”


Ilia Delio, OSF, PhD

Josephine C. Connelly Endowed Chair in Christian Theology


Looking ahead, Sister Delio says one of the most significant social developments Pope Leo must face is the rise of advanced technologies—in particular, increasingly sophisticated artificial intelligence models.


“Our theological anthropology needs a bit of updating, as it does not currently meet the needs of our very complex world today. There are a lot of discussions on artificial intelligence and advanced technology, but the problem is that these technologies are already here and rapidly advancing.


“So, we have to face this reality, not by asking ‘What is happening to us?’ but ‘What are we becoming with our technologies?’ and ‘How best can we remain human in an AI world?’ I think Pope Leo is asking similar questions, considering what makes the human person the image of God, what makes us distinct and whether there are human values that cannot be downloaded or reproduced in a digital medium.


“At the same time, we must ask: Can technology deepen the human spirit by enabling a new level of collective life? Can AI technology empower the Body of Christ?”


To speak with any of these faculty experts, please contact mediaexperts@villanova.edu.




Connect with:
Jaisy A. Joseph, PhD

Jaisy A. Joseph, PhD

Assistant Professor of Theology and Religious Studies | College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Jaisy A. Joseph, PhD, is an expert in the study of unity and difference in the global Church, synodality and the Eastern Catholic Churches.

Pope Leo XIVPope FrancisSynodalityEcclesiologyTheological Anthropology
Luca Cottini, PhD

Luca Cottini, PhD

Professor of Italian Studies | College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Luca Cottini, PhD, is a scholar of 20th-century Italian design and literature and the creator of the YouTube channel "Italian Innovators."

Italian DesignItalian Industry & AdvertisingEntrepreneurship & InnovationDesign ThinkingItalian Literature
Patrick McKinley Brennan, JD

Patrick McKinley Brennan, JD

Professor of Law; John F. Scarpa Chair in Catholic Legal Studies | Charles Widger School of Law

Patrick McKinley Brennan, JD, is an expert in Christian legal thought, constitutional law and religion and the law.

Catholic ChurchCommon-Good ConstitutionalismCatholic Legal StudiesPolitical FriendshipConstitutional Law
Ilia Delio, OSF, PhD

Ilia Delio, OSF, PhD

Josephine C. Connelly Endowed Chair in Theology | College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Sister Ilia Delio, OSF, PhD, works to find a new unity and synthesis in science and religion.

TheologyNeuroscienceArtificial Intelligence and BecomingCulture and ReligionCatholicity
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