{"id":16316,"date":"2025-05-10T22:44:55","date_gmt":"2025-05-11T05:44:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/worldcampaign.net\/?p=16316"},"modified":"2025-11-15T22:57:56","modified_gmt":"2025-11-16T06:57:56","slug":"issue-of-the-week-human-rights-hunger-war-economic-opportunity-disease-environment-population-personal-growth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worldcampaign.net\/?p=16316","title":{"rendered":"Issue of the Week: Human Rights, Hunger, War, Economic Opportunity, Disease, Environment, Population, Personal Growth"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Back to News<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Two<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Pope Leo XIV on the central balcony of St. Peter\u2019s Basilica on Thursday.Credit\u2026Gianni Cipriano for The New York Times<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The passing of Pope Francis was a stunning experience after his eventful papacy since 2013, even though it clearly seemed imminent. Even more stunning was the choice of the next pope.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One thing we, and it seemed everyone, was sure of, was that the conclave of Roman Catholic Cardinals would not choose an American as the next Pope. We were all wrong. And we should have known better. It could only be an American.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pivotal, critical, decisive moment in history we are in demanded a gravitas and power balance to the chaos, risks to human rights, human needs, inequality and threats to democracy in global policy determined by America more than any other nation, that only an American pope, with substantial global experience focused on the have-nots and threats to the planet, could bring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We said we would return to the impact of Francis in the post on his passing, and we will, just as we will return to comment more extensively on the election of Leo the 14th–subjects that are interlinked. For now, however, we restrict ourselves to the extensive coverage of the subject.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The New York Times noted: “The election of Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, a native of Chicago, as pope represents a singular moment in the history of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. But some of the cardinals who selected him said his life of service to the poor in Peru and his senior roles at the Vatican mattered far more in the conclave<\/a> than his nationality.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anyone who has spent time at the Vatican, much less in unique behind the scenes historic moments, knows that what is publicly seen and heard is generally not the whole story, to say the least. The inevitable singular impact of an American pope by itself invites understatement, and this particular choice was much influenced by the global experience and nature of the man chosen. His background and history made an enormous difference. But he is an American. An American pope. And that provides both the opportunities and challenges that nothing else could.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How will he handle all the issues before him and what the story of his papacy will be in the end, no one knows. The story must tell itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are a number of articles from The New York Times, USA Today, El Pais (Updated May 18):<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pope Leo XIV Echoes Francis in His First Mass, Aligning Himself With \u2018Ordinary People\u2019<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

In his advocacy of the poor, migrants and a more open church, many people see the new pope as a continuation of his predecessor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Listen to this article \u00b7 7:34 min Learn more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n