Shortly after white smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel chimney, the world met a new leader: Pope Leo XIV. An American cardinal with a left-leaning vision, Leo, or Robert Francis Prevost, signals not just a new papacy, but a deepening of the Church’s political pivot. For many Catholics, it raises concerns of the Church becoming overly liberal.
Leo’s unanticipated selection surprised the world, but more importantly, it sent a clear message. There was no return to the pre-Pope Francis traditionalism. Instead, it marked a continuation of a noticeable shift in the Church’s public tone and internal priorities as they ditched doctrine for modern ideals.
When Pope Francis was elected in 2013, he held a markedly different tone than his conservative predecessors: a Church less concerned with doctrine, but more centered on inclusion. As his papacy developed, it became increasingly clear that this shift was not merely for cosmetic purposes. In fact, it became structural to the new and evolving identity of the Catholic Church.
Leo’s positions place him firmly in the mold of his predecessor, Francis — arguably the most liberal pontiff in history. His election confirms how the transformation is not isolated to a single pontificate. Instead, it is the direction the Catholic Church intends to move in.
The evidence of liberalization can further be seen in the two runners-up of the papal conclave: Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle and Cardinal Pietro Parolin. Both of them are left of center. Although not elected as pontiff, it is evident that the College of Cardinals favored liberal candidates and intended to appoint a liberal as the next pope.
The Catholic Church has long been one of the most traditional institutions in the world, often leading it to be seen as conservative. This includes strong opposition to abortion, contraception, divorce, homosexuality, and the ordination of women.
These oppositions were not simply policies held by the Catholic Church, but convictions deeply rooted in Scripture and theological tradition. The very institution of the Catholic Church is fundamentally based on these things, so the shift to adapt to the social demands of the modern world brought up the question of the Church’s over-liberalization.
While Francis maintained the Church’s teachings against sin, including engaging abortion, divorce, and homosexuality, he strongly advocated for the acceptance of those individuals within the Church. Prior to this, these individuals were not accepted warmly, and in extreme cases, excommunicated.
Francis’s liberal approach was often met with great controversy. He spoke often of the necessity of embracing those who had long felt unwelcome, such as divorced Catholics, the poor, or the marginalized.
One may think, “Why is this bad?” These changes are not merely symbolic. They signal the transformation of how the Church sees itself in the modern world. An institution that has maintained a clear policy of traditionalism for 2,000 years now felt the need to liberalize with other political institutions and governments.
What sets Vatican City apart from any other government is that the Catholic Church derives its actions and beliefs solely from Scripture. It does not fold to popular opinion, but maintains its ancient beliefs that it has kept since its establishment. However, the liberalization of the Church turns the Vatican into any other ordinary government, one built on popular belief and the will of the people.
Francis once famously said, “Who am I to judge?” This signalled not only an extreme cultural shift, but a doctrinal one. Many devout and faithful Catholics found themselves wondering what the Church actually stood for and why the steadfast beliefs and teachings of the Church were being radically changed. With Leo’s similar beliefs, that ambiguity may deepen, and the chasm between traditionalists and reformists may grow.
Although some argue that many within the Catholic Church still adhere to rigid, traditionalist views, the election of recent pontiffs reflects a broader institutional shift. While individual dissenters may oppose the Church’s evolving politics, the reality is that this change runs deeper than any single pope, priest, or cardinal. It signals the transformation of the institution itself.
Still, critics argue that many key social and moral issues remain steadfast. Divorced individuals are not allowed to remarry in the Catholic Church, and women are barred from priesthood or deaconship.
However, one of the most striking reforms was in regard to divorced and remarried Catholics. For hundreds of years, the Church had barred divorced individuals from receiving the Eucharist. A remarriage without annulment constituted adultery, one of the seven deadly sins; the only way a marriage could end was through an annulment or death. Francis advocated for a relaxation of these norms, advocating for pastoral discernment. However, this move was more political than anything. Catholics who remarried were allowed to receive the Eucharist.
Francis’s modernizing policy was one that was separated from the doctrine and was mainly concerned with social politics. Many of his policies appealed to a modernizing and progressive world, which even won him a nomination for a Nobel Peace Prize in one instance. However, these policies drifted from the Church’s conservative doctrine in favor of a liberal policy.
Leo’s record suggests that his papacy will follow a path similar to the priorities Francis emphasized. This includes his very progressive mindset and vision for the Church, including helping the impoverished, victims of social injustice, and the marginalized.
The election of Leo as the new pope is not just another chapter in papal history. It is a continuation of a bold, and for some, alarming, redefinition of Catholicism’s mission. In pursuit of modern ideals, the Church is losing the doctrine and tradition it has established for thousands of years.
