Let’s face it, anniversaries are important. They invite us to pause and reflect, both on how far we’ve come, and on what we’ve learned along the way. Even though six months don't really qualify as an anniversary, in terms of a pontificate, they could potentially reveal a great deal about… the pontiff.
I’m referring, of course, to Leo XIV’s first 180 days as Pope.
It’s true that, for many, the surprise election of the first American Pope hasn’t completely worn off. Even the image of him on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica is still very fresh in our minds.
It’s also true that several books and documentaries are already out there in the public domain, chronicling everything from when he was a teenage altar-server in Chicago, a missionary in Peru, Prior General of the Augustinian Order (twice), to Cardinal Prefect of the Vatican office overseeing the selection of bishops.
Pictures and articles describing him in all those roles flood the internet. So, there’s really not that much more to say about him – at least not before he was catapulted to the world’s attention as Leo XIV.
As we mark his first six months as Pope, the most interesting question is: What do we know now about Robert Prevost that we didn't know before?
The short answer is… very little.
Thanks to his meeting with a group of Hollywood greats recently, we found out that his favorite movie is “The Sound of Music”. He did tell an Italian pop singer he’s been a fan of hers for years. And we’ve known for a while that, back in the U.S., every time the Chicago Cubs face off against the Chicago White Sox, the debate reopens about which baseball team he actually supports. According to his brother it’s the latter. But Chicago Cubs fans still find that hard to swallow.
We know he likes taking Tuesdays off to spend time at the papal retreat of Castel Gandolfo outside Rome, where he occasionally plays tennis, and that, when he can, he enjoys playing web-based word games.
And… that’s about it.
When trying to fathom what else Pope Leo likes or, more importantly, what he really thinks, journalists who regularly cover the Vatican often describe him as “discreet”.
The Oxford English Dictionary (yes, I still have a copy), defines “discreet” as being “careful and prudent in one’s words and actions”. Wikipedia, or AI (I’m never quite sure which is which), describes a “discreet person” as one who “uses good judgement, exercises self-restraint, and avoids rash decisions”.
All of the above could aptly be applied to the new pontiff’s “words and actions”. And yet, for those with eyes to see and ears to hear, it’s abundantly clear where his priorities lie. Just take a look at his first Apostolic Exhortation. In it he highlights care for the poor, and reiterates all the basic tenets of Catholic social doctrine. When he addresses Bishops Conferences, he regularly reminds them always to place “Jesus Christ at the center”.
Confidentially-speaking, the biggest reveal might come in January when he’ll meet with all the world’s cardinals in what’s called an “Extraordinary Consistory”. Odds are that the meeting might just disclose unforeseen insights into the mind and heart of the “discreet” Pope Leo XIV.
