The Cardinals have elected a new pope “Pope Leo XIV”, however, no one expected the next pope to be an American. In the Vatican, built by European tradition for centuries, this bold choice has sent massive ripples through religions and political communities worldwide. On Thursday, Robert Francis Prevost was elected to rule billions of Roman Catholics, as the first pope of the USA.
The first simple question many have asked on social media platforms, “what does it indicate for the Catholic Church’s future being led by an America? Maybe there will be a massive change in culture or policies. Possibly concerns about geopolitics and America’s potentially polarizing role in the whole world. The United States is known for capitalism and innovation, it does not fully align with the Vatican values, however, this could lead to a new era of the Vatican which could bring new and unique ideas that could only be provided by a specific ethnic or group of people.
For instance, the pope has a background of dealing with finances which could aid the Vatican from the it’s long term debts. As stated by CBS News that in Pennsylvania Villanova University he earned a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, a master from the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, and a doctorate for canon law from the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in Rome, greatly showcasing his scholarly depth. From 2001 to 2013 he served as the prior general leader of the Augustinian Order, overseeing over 50 missions across countries. Furthermore, he was the perfect bishop of the dicastery for bishops. By 2023 he was appointed as the head of the Vatican’s office, allowing him to be responsible for selecting bishops worldwide.
According to Reuters, the Vatican hasn’t released its whole budget since 2022, yet the most recent report said that in 2024 it will be about 84 million euro. This specifies serious financial instability and the Vatican shows a lack of transparency. In the Crisis, the number of Catholics in America has dropped from 24% in 2007 to 19 percent currently. Past over couple decades, the Catholic Church has contended with numerous declining relevance in the Western world. Among the redundant scandals and institutional failures, and a growth between its teaching and modern life.
