After Pope Leo XIV was elected on May 8, 2025, many prognosticators and colleagues predicted a quiet beginning to his pontificate. The former Robert Prevost, several said, “takes his time and listens before speaking or taking concrete action.” World events and the desires of so many—Catholic and not—for the pope’s commentary or considerations might have forever eliminated the possibility of a quiet first year for any pontiff. But as we approach the one-year anniversary of his election, we can see the outlines of a papacy that combines quiet and measured deliberation with a clear and prophetic voice on many issues of the day, ecclesial and not. 

America asked five scholars to weigh in on Leo’s first year in the chair of Peter—and on what we might expect in the future. The first is Colleen Dulle, Vatican correspondent for America, on Leo’s relationship with (and impact on) the church in the United States thus far. Next, M. Cathleen Kaveny of Boston College offers her reflections on Leo’s vision for his papacy (and how that might differ from other recent popes), as well as his task to continue to embed the teachings of the Second Vatican Council in the institutions of the church.

Robert P. Hagan, O.S.A., writes of the ways in which Leo’s first year has shown his Augustinian roots as well as the deep influence of Augustinian spirituality. Anna Rowlands of Durham University then considers Leo’s public embrace of synodality and the processes Pope Francis put into place to nurture it in the church. Finally, Agbonkhianmeghe E. Orobator, S.J., reflects on what Leo’s reign might mean for Africa, particularly in light of his April visit to four countries on Christianity’s fastest-growing continent.

Finally, below the links to these essays you will find a ‘year in review’ of Leo’s first year: dates, events and highlights from the first year of an American pope.

—The Editors

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Pope Leo XIV: The First Year of His Pontificate

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“A leader who’s walking by himself isn’t leading anyone, but if a leader is capable of bringing people together with himself or herself and moving forward, I think that’s a lot more effective.” 

Pope Leo XIV

“I often wonder, even though the teaching of Sacred Scripture is so clear about the poor, why many people continue to think that they can safely disregard the poor.”

DILEXI TE

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2025 → 2026

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On the eve of Leo’s visit to Africa from April 13-23, U.S. President Donald Trump posted on his Truth Social platform that he believed the American pope was “WEAK on crime,” accusing him of thinking “it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon” and taking credit for his election. Leo, speaking to reporters the next day, said he had “no fear neither of the Trump administration nor speaking out loudly of the message of the Gospel, which is what I believe I am here to do.” Mr. Trump’s attacks on the pope continued ahead of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to the Vatican on May 7.

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