Pope Leo XIV heralds a renewal of Catholic social justice

They said it would never happen: an American pope, let alone an American pope while Donald Trump is president of the United States. But the Lord works in mysterious ways. On Thursday, Robert Francis Prevost of Chicago made history after his fellow cardinals elected him the 267th successor of Saint Peter.

Yet just as meaningful as his US background is the new pontiff’s choice of name: Leo XIV.

The last time the Roman church had a Leo pope, it was Leo XIII in the late 19th century. The fourth-longest reigning pontiff ever, Leo was a pivotal figure in the life of the Church — and the secular world. He revitalised Thomism (the thought of the medieval sage Thomas Aquinas), promoted Catholic schools, and instituted the beloved prayer to the Archangel Michael: “Defend us in battle, be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil…”