Director of the Lay Centre, Filipe Domingues, reflects on the early days of Robert Prevost’s papacy, describing him as “essentially a missionary.” The first American pope, Leo XIV brings pastoral simplicity and a spirit of dialogue to the Church at a pivotal moment.
By Filipe Domingues
In Rome, there’s a saying: “A pope dies, another is made.” In Italian, this phrase implies that life must go on—even in the face of difficulty. Anyone who has been in the “Eternal City” these past few days has witnessed this quite literally.
Pope Francis, such a charismatic and popular figure, left us on Easter Monday, April 21. Less than three weeks later, we now have his successor: Pope Leo XIV. American Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost—Francis’s right-hand man at the Dicastery for Bishops, overseeing the appointment and guidance of Catholic bishops—was chosen to succeed not only Francis but also, above all, the Apostle Peter, the Church’s first pope according to tradition.
In my primary role as director of The Lay Centre, I had the opportunity to meet Cardinal Prevost on a few occasions. He always arrived alone at events, driving himself—kind, discreet, and approachable. He spoke in English, Italian, or Spanish.
He replied to emails and messages quickly, often the next day. When present at events, he made a point of staying for the full duration—never in a rush. Most importantly, when he presided at Mass, he prayed and preached with depth and eloquence, switching fluently between languages.
Beyond personal impressions, three points stand out to me from these first days of Pope Leo XIV’s pontificate:
A Pope with a Pastoral Profile
Between Francis’s death and the conclave, discussions among the cardinals during the general congregations became more transparent. Both the Holy See’s press office and the cardinals themselves, in conversations with journalists, hinted at a shared sentiment: the Church still needed a “pastoral” pope.
This emphasis on the pastoral dimension suggested the kind of leader they were seeking. A figure of continuity with Pope Francis’s legacy, though perhaps with a slightly different style. Francis often said that priests should be “shepherds with the smell of the sheep”—that is, close to the people, grounded in reality, not detached managers or weary bureaucrats.
In the days leading up to the conclave, Prevost’s name began to emerge more frequently as a viable candidate. While the most commonly cited papabile was still Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin—a very capable diplomat and the Vatican’s Secretary of State under Francis—his lack of diocesan experience made him a less compelling choice for a pastorally focused Church.
One of the key themes discussed during the final day of the general congregations, according to the Vatican, was the strong conviction that “many of the reforms promoted by Pope Francis must be continued: the fight against abuse, economic transparency, the reorganization of the Curia, synodality, commitment to peace, and care for creation. The Church’s responsibility in these areas is deeply felt and widely shared.”
Prevost is, in essence, a missionary. He served as bishop and Prior General of the Order of St. Augustine for many years—making him both a pastor and a seasoned leader. He left the United States at age 27 to earn his doctorate in canon law in Rome, after which he was sent to Peru. He lived there for nearly 20 years, including eight as Bishop of Chiclayo, a diocese far from the spotlight.
A Taboo Overcome
“Long live the American pope—and forza Roma!” said a young man on the subway today, referencing both the new pope and the AS Roma football team—of which the new pontiff is an avid fan. He’s also known to be a skilled tennis player.
Prevost brings to the papacy many sought-after qualities: extensive pastoral and administrative experience; fluency in English, Spanish, Italian, French, and Portuguese, and reading ability in Latin and German; familiarity with diverse communities across the globe; and many years living in Rome, including the last three as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops. At 69, he is in good health and likely to be an active pope for at least 10–15 years.
Yet one factor still raised concerns: he was born in the United States. For many analysts, the idea of an American pope was long unthinkable. Italy—having lived under the geopolitical shadow of the U.S. since World War II—remains protective of cultural and historical institutions it considers fundamentally its own. The papacy is one of them.
Moreover, the United States is a major source of Church funding, which already brings influence into ecclesial decision-making.
Even so, the first American pope in history has arrived. During the press conference with Brazilian cardinals after the conclave, I asked Archbishop Jaime Spengler of Porto Alegre—President of both the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (CNBB) and the Latin American Episcopal Council (CELAM)—how they weighed Prevost’s nationality.
He responded: “His heritage is French and Spanish, his nationality is American; as a missionary, he is Latin American; as a bishop, he is profoundly Latin American; and as the superior of the Augustinians, he was universally minded. It’s a privilege to have as pope a man with the global perspective he brings.”
“Peace Be With You All”
In his first public appearance, Pope Leo XIV declared: “Peace be with you all!” He continued: “This is the peace of the Risen Christ—a disarmed and disarming peace, humble and persevering. It comes from God, who loves us unconditionally.”
His words echoed the Gospel account of Jesus’s appearance to the apostles after His resurrection. At that moment, the disciples were disillusioned and confused, grieving the loss of their Master. Jesus appears and says, “Peace be with you”—a phrase still used in Catholic liturgies today. That greeting brought comfort and renewed strength to the early Church.
In a world torn apart by war, the new pope makes a plea for peace—“a disarmed and disarming peace,” he described, “humble and persevering.” To a Church that may have felt orphaned after losing a beloved leader, Leo XIV recalled Francis’s legacy, from that same balcony where he gave his own farewell blessing.
Echoing his predecessor, Leo XIV asked for unity and support in his ministry. “God loves us—God loves you all—and evil will not prevail,” he said. “Help us, and help one another, to build bridges through dialogue and encounter, joining together to become one people always in peace.”
Originally published on G1 website
Photo: Lay Centre Archives and Vatican Media
