Revealing Leo

Ahead of early August’s Jubilee of Youth in Rome, some Vatican watchers built up the event as an opportunity for Pope Leo XIV to make his first major mark as pontiff. One analyst likened the gathering to other similar large-scale papal events that functioned as opportunities for some of Leo’s immediate predecessors to reveal something more of themselves and their priorities.

Because of this, many eyes were focused on Rome during the first weekend of August, hoping to get some insight into how Leo might make himself known more clearly while gathering with nearly a million young people in the Eternal City. In the end, a big “moment” for Leo didn’t take place — and count me among those who found that both refreshing and hopeful.

In an age when the pope has become something of a global celebrity — and arguably for good reason — Pope Leo so far has operated in such a way that distances his new office from his personality. While he speaks at times of his own experience, Leo is much more squarely focused on the church’s life and mission and what his office offers to it. Nothing about him is personality driven despite what the growing crowds he attracts — some of whom bring him White Sox hats or Chicago pizza — might like.

Most of us know very little about Leo, and he seems perfectly content with that. His ministry contains an echo of John the Baptist’s cry, as the forerunner pointed toward Christ “He must increase; I must decrease” (Jn 3:30).

This came across in Pope Leo’s prepared words during the two events at which he gathered with global representatives of Catholic youth: an evening prayer vigil and at a Mass the following day.

At the Aug. 2 prayer vigil, Leo was asked three questions by young people about various aspects of Christian living for their generation in our time.

Following one question, in which he was asked where young people can find courage to choose correctly when facing decisions that shape their future, Leo responded: “Find the courage to make difficult choices and say to Jesus: ‘You are my life, Lord.’ ‘Lord, You are my life.'” He drew attention to the “radical, meaningful choices” of matrimony, holy orders and consecrated life, illustrating the most serious choice a young person can make is about their relationship with Christ. Choosing among these vocations is found “the free and liberating gift of self that makes us truly happy. That is where we find happiness, when we learn to give ourselves, to give our lives for others” in imitation of Christ.

In the homily Leo offered at the Aug. 3 closing Mass of the Jubilee of Youth, the pope cast a light on Pope St. John Paul II’s message at a similar gathering for the 2000 jubilee, who said that Christ “stirs in you the desire to do something great with your lives […] to commit … to improving yourselves and society, making the world more human and more fraternal.”

Leo continued, “Let us remain united to him, let us remain in his friendship, always, cultivating it through prayer, adoration, Eucharistic Communion, frequent Confession, and generous charity, following the examples of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati and Blessed Carlo Acutis who will soon be declared saints. Aspire to great things, to holiness, wherever you are. Do not settle for less. You will then see the light of the Gospel growing every day, in you and around you.”

As certain factions of the church who want to claim Leo for their “side” become increasingly anxious to see him start taking more decisive action on thorny issues, it’s clear that what we know most about him is that he is a disciple of Jesus Christ. In listening to Leo, I can almost imagine Christ saying: “Whoever has ears ought to hear.”

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