The pope’s visit to Egypt was a turning point, not only for many Egyptian Christians in strengthening their faith, but also in the way they were perceived by their Muslim peers.

Pope Leo XIV's first homily, delivered during Mass in the Sistine Chapel with the College of Cardinals.

The “urbi et orbi” blessing given by Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope, after his election May 8, 2025.

“For us, as Hispanics who are suffering in the United States, it gives us great hope to believe that this next pope will be like Francis and stand with immigrants.”

As expected, the 133 cardinals who entered the Sistine Chapel May 7 failed to elect the next pope on their first ballot.

Now that the 133 cardinal electors are ensconced in the Sistine Chapel to elect a successor to Pope Francis, some potential candidates have come to the fore.

Perhaps a revealing question is whether the church will continue the radical novelty Francis brought as a pope from a religious order—and whether this is the continuity needed now.

German Catholic bishops say that even where the party has not tipped into extremism, it has failed to reform itself of such tendencies. They charge that a nationalism incompatible with Christianity has become the AfD’s animating ideology.

The chair of Peter may be empty, but the Vatican is still full.

As the conclave draws near, I am becoming more nervous and apprehensive about what is ahead of us. But all I am asked to do is to trust in God.