Michael Sean Winters writes:

As the cardinals discussed the future of the church last week, the happy shadow of Francis loomed large. They wanted someone who shared his commitment to synodality and focus on the world’s poor. With Prevost, a mild-mannered man, they also voted for fewer surprises and a steadier hand at the wheel of governance, someone with experience of the Vatican Curia but not a creature of that Curia.

The wealthy and well-organized conservative critics of Francis will be disappointed. Good. The new pope is not someone who will be seduced by their financial power. U.S. conservatives who disagreed with Francis would often cite the parochialism of his Argentine background and, especially, what they considered his Peronist streak. They said he misunderstood the U.S. That dog will no longer hunt.

In the pre-conclave chatter, there was concern that Prevost lacked the charisma of Francis. But you have a hard time finding a photo of Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio smiling when he was archbishop in Buenos Aires. He was transformed by his election. In 2005, after Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was elected as Pope Benedict XVI, a bishop told me, “Remember, Cardinal Ratzinger and Pope Benedict are different realities.” Sure enough, we soon saw photos of Benedict kissing babies. The previous 25 years, he had a desk job.

Who knows how Pope Leo XIV will play on the world stage. For now we can only state, but state with certainty, that the cardinals have chosen someone committed to the reforms Pope Francis began. The new pope will chart his own path, to be sure, but we know the direction in which he is headed. [Continue reading…]