[Catholic Caucus] 100 Days of Leo XIV

Rorate Caeli ^ | August 16, 2025 | Stefano Chiappalone

[ebb tide]

[Catholic Caucus] 100 Days of Leo XIV

One hundred days as Pope

That is how long it has been since the beginning of Prevost's pontificate, which began under the banner of spirituality, verticality, normalization, and reconciliation. To the relief of some and the disappointment of others (which is also a good sign).

Stefano Chiappalone

Nuova Bussola Quotidiana

August 16, 2025

Today, August 16, 2025, marks the fateful first “hundred days” of the pontificate of Robert Francis Prevost, elected Pope under the name Leo XIV on May 8 (a day entrusted to the dual protection of Our Lady of Pompeii and the Archangel Michael). Despite the round number and symbolic significance, the time that has passed since then is a minimal portion of a pontificate, which is destined to last much longer than any government on average. If this was true for Prevost's two predecessors, even though they were elected at an advanced age, it is even more true for Leo, who is not yet 70 and is likely to have a much longer pontificate, compared to which the first hundred days that have just passed are only the introit antiphon. A few “verses,” but not insignificant ones, to get an idea of what is to come. 

Spirituality, verticality, normalization, and reconciliation: these are the four words that summarize the Leonine antiphon, ever since it first appeared on the loggia of St. Peter's. The spirituality in question, of course, is that of Augustine, which the Pope rightly never misses an opportunity to dispense in “pills.” But from the beginning, it manifested itself above all in the return of “verticality,” as Stefano Fontana, among others, observed. As soon as he was elected, the Provost began with a liturgical greeting, “peace be with you,” the words of the risen Christ, not exactly a casual “good evening.” The next day, celebrating in the Sistine Chapel, he again brought a breath of “verticality” with that “disappear so that Christ may remain.” And so it was: he literally disappeared until the next day's impromptu visit to Genazzano, a Marian shrine dear to the Augustinians, leaving the hunters of anecdotes of the “Pope next door” series high and dry. 

Even in his “impromptu” appearances, Leo XIV maintains a sense of proportion and spiritual depth. Not only in Genazzano. Consider his recent visit to the young patient at the Bambino Gesù hospital: few words were leaked, and those that were were extremely edifying, both from the Pope and from the patient's family. For the sake of our country, we would gladly avoid comparing this visit with that of his predecessor to the ailing [Italian abortion champion Emma] Bonino, but it is a necessary comparison in order to take the pulse of the situation and ask ourselves whether, at least in part, the atmosphere has changed.

This is the little we know, but it is enough to formulate some hypotheses about the much we still do not know. To avoid misunderstandings and at the risk of sounding obvious: Prevost is not Bergoglio and, of course, he is not the anti-Bergoglio either. At the same time, Leo XIV seems inclined to take up some issues dear to Francis, from the ecological question to migrants to synodality. But the antiphon at least suggests (and gives us hope!) that he could also “recalculate” them, like a navigator, in a more Christocentric direction, without turning them into mantras and repositioning them in a different light from the predominantly socio-political, not to say ideological, one that increasingly characterized his predecessor's pontificate.

It is also likely that he will proceed with carefully considered decisions for key appointments, rather than necessarily immediate ones. So much so that after three months there is still no successor to him in the key role of prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops. And that he will favor reflection over polarization on the “hot” issues that are rocking Peter's boat, such as the open wound caused by Traditionis Custodes: it is difficult to imagine that Leone would want to twist the knife in the wound by shouting “down with the reactionary!” The China dossier and the ongoing synodal “construction site” in Germany are more complicated issues, on which it seems premature to press him and ask him, to paraphrase Jacopone da Todi: “What will you do, Pope Leone? You have come to the comparison.”

Change is happening, but not in the sense of an unrealistic reversal (which in itself is not the Church's method, as already pointed out by far more authoritative observers), but rather in the sense of normalization. This is also expressed through symbols. Since the habit makes the monk (and also the rejection of it), it is inevitable to note that even in outward appearances, Leo XIV has chosen not to be “capricious”: the clothes of Peter come before the person and tastes of the Pope. Thus, the return of that red mozzetta that seemed to have been consigned to the attic meant much more than a matter of tailoring: it indicates that the elected pope is not the ‘super-pope’ who must strive to appear kinder or more humble than his predecessors. And the return to Castel Gandolfo indicates that he is not a workaholic who disdains a bit of healthy vacationing in the name of a “weekday” conception of the papacy. On the contrary, he is one of the links in a chain that goes back to Peter and transcends the individual personality who holds the keys in this or that specific historical conjuncture. And Leo XIV, in particular, shows that he is not the type to impulsively discard what he likes least, much less to pose as the “refounder” of the Holy Roman Church. Whereas on March 13, 2013, the symbols (and their rejection) spoke of a break with the recent past, since May 8, a language of mending and reconciliation seems to prevail. 

Finally, the involuntary diagnosis of the faithful (and the less faithful) should not be overlooked. There is a certain sense of relief among those who wanted the Vicar of Christ, whoever was elected, to speak about Christ. And for the same reason, there is a certain disappointment among those who were looking for a media personality to be “measured” on the basis of real or presumed or trumpeted openness: if they don't like him, it is certainly a good sign. [Source, in Italian]

[ebb tide]

And Leo XIV, in particular, shows that he is not the type to impulsively discard what he likes least, much less to pose as the “refounder” of the Holy Roman Church. Whereas on March 13, 2013, the symbols (and their rejection) spoke of a break with the recent past, since May 8, a language of mending and reconciliation seems to prevail.

[ebb tide]

Ping

[CdMGuy]

Pope Francis during his term appointed the vast majority of the voting members of the College of Cardinals. What Catholics got as a result of the election of Pope Leo is a Pope close to the beliefs of Pope Francis. Pope Leo was elected on the 4th ballot so as to avoid the appearance that Leo was Francis’ designated successor. However, early signs are pointing to Leo simply being a slimmer and more refined version of Francis.

[Oystir]

So ebby, what do your tarot cards make of today’s Rotate article? Does today’s article make it a good day for Pope Leo? This one doesn’t seem spiteful. Reserved? Hopeful? What’s your term for your Cartoon Network today? Rotate and your network seem confused about its prognosticating regarding your Pope.

Anyhow, since Rotate literally went into the first few days of Pope Leo’s pontificate so as to somehow reach some mishmash of a conclusion about Pope Leo, how could the Rotate/Cartoon Network forget this fact: Pope Leo XIV visited the grave of beloved Pope Francis on Saturday, May 10, 2025. This occurred less than 48 hours after Leo’s election on May 8, 2025, making it one of his very first official acts as pontiff. The visit took place at the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome, where Pope Francis had been buried following his death on April 21, 2025. Doesn’t this make for bad tea/leaves?

ImagineThat!

[ebb tide]

I pity the soul that goes throughout his life complaining.

Yours must be a miserable life.

[piusv]

You mean like when he announced that Francis is in Heaven? LOL

So many are hoping they can just blame everything on Francis and call it a day. When, in reality, all of the Vatican II/Novus Ordo popes are to blame. Some just take longer to wake up to this reality.

[Oystir]

Nope. No complaints. Well grounded. Not into the Network’s science fiction, though.

[Oystir]

Don’t you want your Popes to be saints? Don’t you want them in Heaven with your heavenly Father? It seems pretty simple. It is certainly more honest than calling your Pope a heretic.

[ebb tide]

Pay no attention to the foister.

Just days after Francis’ death, oystir claimed he was already in Heaven.