Meet Pope Leo XIV: The tennis -playing Cardinal who fired Volleys on Donald Trump on social media

The election of Robert Francis Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, is a stunning surprise and not just because he is the first American to become the successor to St. Peter.

Catholic traditionalists were convinced that after the radical turbulence of Pope Franciss 12-year-old Reign, Cardinals wanted a switch from a progressive, even secular, focus on social justice and climate change.

It seems that they will be disappointed. The new pope, who grew up in Chicago but spent most of his career in Latin -America, was a protector of Francis, who in 2015 appointed him bishop of Chiclayo, a city on the coast of Peru.

In 2023, Francis Prevost handed one of the most powerful positions in the Vatican: prefect of the dicastery for bishops, who entails an enormous patronage. During his term of office, some very progressive bishops enjoyed considerable promotions.

Pope Leo, a former head of the Augustinian Order, is considered urban, charming and a competent manager.

Handy according to the standards of popes, he regards himself as the amateur tennis player and looks younger than his 69 years.

His rapid election after the fourth mood clearly shows that he has the opportunity to reach various factions in the Vatican.

He could not have reached the necessary majority of 89 votes to win, unless he had persuaded central and moderate conservative cardinals to put their trust on him.

Robert Francis Prevost, 69, was mentioned on Thursday as the first American pope in history

The newly ordered Reverse Robert Prevost then met Pope John Paul II in 1982

Robert Prevost in the second class, fourth from the left in this class photo in 1962

But whether Pope Leo will be able to cure the political and liturgical wounds in the wider Catholic Church is still to be seen.

For example, it seems unlikely that he will completely remove the limitations of Pope Franciss on the ancient Latin mass, which have caused special fear for Catholic traditionalists in the United States and will pray that he uses at least a more relaxed approach, given the growing popularity of the old ceremonies between young Catholics.

Indeed, it went on Thursday evening in Rome that Pope Leo sometimes says the old mass in private and, considerably, in his first performance as Pope, unlike Francis, he wore full ceremonial robes.

When it comes to American politics, Pope Leo Fel Anti-Maga, who does his utmost to attack vice-president JD Vance, a Catholic convert, on social media.

He used X to share an article from a left-wing Catholic outlet head JD Vance is wrong: Jesus does not ask us to rank our love for others.

He also accused President Trump used the Oval Office to support the illegal deportation of an American resident.

Where is Leo on sensitive questions about sexuality, pastoral care and women's dedication that now divided Catholics much sharper than when Francis took office in 2013?

The College of Cardinals Report, an influential investigation into the views of all cardinals in the church, wrote this year: Cardinal Prevost says little on important topics, but some of its positions are known. He is said to be very close to Franciss vision with regard to the environment, outreach for the poor and migrants he supported Pope Franciss in pastoral practice to allow separate and bourgeois remarried Catholics to receive holy communion. '

Robert Prevost during a trip in Peru in 2019

The new pope, who grew up in Chicago but spent most of his career in Latin -America, was a protector of Francis, who in 2015 appointed him bishop of Chiclayo, a city on the coast of Peru. Shown: Robert Prevost during a trip in Peru in 2018

Newly chosen Pope Leo next to Pope Francis during a consistory to make 21 new cardinals in 2023

Robert Prevost celebrates a mass last year for Our Lady of Guadalupe in St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican City

Donald Trump described the election as a 'great honor' for the United States as Pope Leo becomes the first American pope in the 2000-year history of the Catholic Church

Pope Leo is fierce anti-Maga and has previously done his utmost to attack vice-president JD Vance, a Catholic convert, on social media

Prevost seems a little less inclined to curry the favor at the LGBTQ lobby than Francis, but he showed mild support for unofficial blessings for gay players.

In other words, Pope Leos's record about hot-button problems will do nothing to reassure theological conservatives, whose sense of disappointment was felt in Rome on Thursday evening.

But other Catholics, including some Francis critics, believe that the former Cardinal prevost will restore a certain degree of order to the administration of the church, which is especially chaotic in the Vatican, thanks to the Argentinian Popes dictatorial style and habit to get around the Canon Act.

Anyway, to say that there is already a shadow hanging over Leos Pontificate. In recent months, his record about dealing with sexual affairs has been criticized.

This week, the Catholic research website De Pijler de Claim re -published that Prevost, when Bishop of Chiclayo, did not investigate claims of women in 2022 that they were being abused by two local priests. His reaction was to point out a defense by his diocese that he has taken the necessary canonical steps. The article also claimed that he refused to comment on a statement that he allowed an archbismate priest in Chicago in 2000 who was accused of sexually abused minors to live around the corner of a Catholic school.

People with an American flag respond as a newly chosen pope Leo – who becomes the first American pope in history

Faithful responds to the white smoke that indicates that a new pope has been chosen in the Vatican

These allegations were so serious that prevosted by many Vatican commentators was not deemed as elections.

But if there is a lesson that the audience learns almost every time a pope is chosen, it is that Vatican commentators, including me, are useless to predict who will come to the Loggia of St. Peters.

A tennis playing pope from Chicago who monitors his political opponents on social media while fighting accusations of insufficient cases of sexual abuse? It didn't seem possible, but it just happened.

Damian Thompson is a former editor of the Catholic Herald, associated editor of the viewer and presenter of the Holy Smoke Religion Podcast