‘Hug therapy' and not rocking the boat: How Pope Leo is trying to unify Vatican

Straits Times

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Pope Leo XIV is winning over the Curia, the Catholic Church's governing body that Pope Francis, his predecessor, had accused of 'spiritual Alzheimer's'.
VATICAN CITY – Pope Leo XIV heads off on holiday on July 6, having spent his first two months as Catholic leader rebuilding unity and bolstering tradition after his predecessor's unorthodox papacy.
'Prudent', 'methodical' and 'listening' are some of the words used by Vatican insiders who spoke to Agence France-Presse (AFP) to describe the approach of the first American pope, who took over on May 8 as head of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics.
Pope Leo was
elected by cardinals following the death of Argentina's Pope Francis, a charismatic reformer who sparked worldwide devotion but also internal Church divisions during his 12-year papacy.
Pope Francis
shook things up from the outset , eschewing the ornate garb and palaces of his predecessors, but his successor has moved more carefully, emphasising tradition and unity.
On the all-important symbols, Pope Leo has returned to wearing the traditional red mozzetta – short cape – and stole over his white papal robes.
He will
take a summer break from July 6 to 20 at the papal palace at Castel Gandolfo, outside Rome, a longtime country residence for pontiffs that Pope Francis declined to use.
Pope Leo is also expected to move into the papal apartments of the Vatican's Apostolic Palace in the autumn after extensive renovations, according to a Vatican source.
Pope Francis had rejected the palace in favour of a simple apartment in the Santa Marta guesthouse.
On policy matters, Pope Leo has given numerous speeches but has so far avoided taking positions that might cause offence and has made no major appointments.
In public, he smiles and engages with the crowds who flock to see him at St Peter's Square, from blessing babies to singing along to the chants of the Chicago White Sox, his favourite baseball team.
But the discreet former missionary – who spent two decades in Peru before joining the Roman Curia, the Catholic Church's governing body, in 2023 – has so far kept to the script and followed protocol.
'His style is simplicity… He is a presence that does not impose itself on others,' said Professor Roberto Regoli, who teaches at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.
'With him, rather than looking at appearances, you have to focus on the content,' he said.
'Some relief'
Professor Charles Mercier, who teaches contemporary history at the University of Bordeaux, said Pope Leo appeared keen to promote the institution over himself as an individual.
'Francis had a personal charisma that he greatly emphasised through his personality. Leo seems to want to blend into an institution, the papal office, that is more than him,' he said.
The approach has won Pope Leo support within the Curia.
Employees who spoke to AFP described a man who was 'pragmatic', 'impressively calm', 'measured and methodical', 'thoughtful' and 'concerned about balance'.
'He is someone who listens a lot, who needs to understand how things work before making decisions,' explained one employee of a dicastery, a Vatican government department.
Pope Leo will take a summer break from July 6 to 20 at the papal palace at Castel Gandolfo, outside Rome.
PHOTO: NYTIMES
Even those speaking under cover of anonymity offered a broadly positive tone, reflecting how in just two months, Pope Leo has re-engaged with the Curia.
'The Curia was shaken up by Pope Francis, with reforms decided sometimes unilaterally, even in an authoritarian manner, and often badly received,' a Vatican source said on condition of anonymity.
The arrival of Pope Leo – 'who has a good reputation', according to the source – 'brought some relief'.
'We feel that things will be fluid, less personal,' he added.
A phrase Pope Leo uttered during his first meeting with the Curia on May 24 made a lasting impression: 'Popes come and go. The Curia remains.'
This contrasts sharply with the criticism dealt out by Pope Francis, who accused the Curia early in his papacy of 'spiritual Alzheimer's' and a lust for power.
Assurances
'It's clear we're in a phase of hug therapy,' commented a European diplomatic source.
Another envoy to the Holy See added that Pope Leo was 'pursuing a unifying approach – exactly what he was elected to do'.
Pope Francis was also accused by critics of sidelining doctrine in favour of social issues, notably migration, even if he did not, in fact, change major tenets of Catholic belief.
In his first few weeks, Pope Leo reaffirmed the celibacy of priests, defined marriage as a union between a man and a woman, and urged bishops to stand firm against sexual abuse, a scandal that still roils the global Church.
Despite criticising US President Donald Trump's migration policy before becoming pope, Pope Leo has barely mentioned the subject since taking office, although he has
emphasised the importance of social justice .
On the diplomatic front, Pope Leo has renewed calls for peace in Gaza and in Ukraine.
He discussed the latter conflict with Russia's Vladimir Putin in a telephone call on June 4, where he urged the president to make a 'gesture that favours peace'.
Pope Francis had not spoken to Mr Putin since before Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Just as his overtures to the Curia have been well received, Pope Leo's return to the traditional symbols of the papacy has been welcomed by those in the Church who accused Pope Francis of distorting the papal office.
But Prof Mercier noted that this did not rule out change in the future.
Pope Leo is aiming for a 'symbolic rebalancing that undoubtedly stems from the desire to unite the Catholic flock, which has given the impression of being polarised under Francis', he said.
But, he added, it could also be a strategy 'to provide symbolic assurances to enable continued progress on the substance'. AFP