“The government can’t target counselors for their views and can’t force people to say things that go against their core convictions,” ADF attorney Jonathan Scruggs said.

An archdiocesan investigation in 2018 claimed Bishop Michael Bransfield engaged in multiple instances of sexual harassment and financial malfeasance of diocesan funds.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- One year after stepping onto the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica and greeting the world with the words, "May peace be with you all," Pope Leo XIV has emerged as a pontiff attempting to guide a polarized church and fractured world through dialogue, peace and increasingly forceful speech defending human dignity.

His first year of the papacy has been marked with palpable tensions around the globe and persistent divisions within the church -- challenges many cardinals believed he was uniquely positioned to confront when they elected him to continue Pope Francis’ broader vision.

Beyond the Vatican, members of the U.S. President Donald J. Trump administration have frequently criticized the first American pope as "weak" on crime and dismissed his warnings about war and nuclear escalation after the pope reiterated that "God does not bless any conflict."

Yet through it all, Pope Leo has remained remarkably consistent and steadfast in tone and message, repeatedly returning to peace, dialogue and reconciliation as hallmarks of his papacy.

One of the electors in last year's conclave, U.S. Cardinal Robert W. McElroy of Washington, told the audience during an April 28 event at Villanova University that Pope Leo united clergy in a way he has never seen before. 

"As he has grappled with this question of forward progress or retrenchment, he has done it in an Augustinian way: one in heart and soul and harmony together, by seeking to integrate the different elements within the life of the church."

On the first anniversary of his election, Pope Leo traveled to Pompeii for celebrations marking the feast of the Supplication to Our Lady of the Rosary, a prayer composed by St. Bartolo Longo, founder of the Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary in Pompeii, whom the pope canonized last October.

In his homily in Piazza Bartolo Longo, Pope Leo reflected on the anniversary of his election and entrusted his ministry to the protection of the Blessed Virgin. Echoing themes that have defined his first year as pope, he warned that wars continue “to rage in many regions of the world” and called for renewed spiritual commitment to peace.

"Through [Mary’s] intercession,"  he said, "may there come from the God of peace an overflowing outpouring of mercy, touching hearts, calming resentment and fratricidal hatred, and enlightening those who bear special responsibilities of government."

One year into his pontificate, Pope Leo has emerged as a pope shaped deeply by Augustinian ideals of communion and listening, attempting to navigate ideological and geopolitical divisions not through confrontation, but through listening and dialogue. While more reserved in tone than Pope Francis, he has become increasingly direct on issues involving war, migration, economic exploitation and human dignity.

"In a sense, Bob Prevost continues to be Bob Prevost," said Father Arthur Purcaro, an Augustinian priest and longtime friend of the pope. "But he’s grown in the role of the ministry, which he has assumed."

He told Catholic News Service May 4 that he had joked with the pope on a phone call, saying that he was surprised at his friend's ability to be more gregarious, waving and greeting crowds of thousands of people.

"He said, 'I know it, but it comes from within,'" Father Purcaro said. "So it's something that God has called out of him."

Father Purcaro said the pope has always been "a man of prayer, a listener first and foremost," qualities that continue to shape how he governs. 

"The nature of the beast -- Bob Prevost is now Leo -- is not to divide, but to unite," he said in a video call with CNS.

That emphasis on unity has become one of the defining themes of Pope Leo’s first year. Before his election, then-Cardinal Prevost repeatedly warned about ideological division inside the church.

"The lack of unity is a wound that the church suffers, a very painful one," he said in a 2023 interview. "Divisions and polemics in the church do not help anything."

The conclave that elected Pope Leo on May 8, 2025, was the largest and among the most geographically diverse in history. Then-Cardinal Prevost, a Chicago native who spent decades serving as an Augustinian missionary and bishop in Peru before leading the Vatican Dicastery for Bishops, was seen by many cardinals as someone capable of continuing Pope Francis’ reforms while lowering tensions within the church.

"They voted for him because he was going to follow through on Francis’ commitment, but to do it in a different way," Father Purcaro said.

For much of his first year, Pope Leo’s calendar was shaped by commitments inherited from Pope Francis, including the 2025 Jubilee Year and the planned trip to Turkey and Lebanon. But after the Jubilee concluded, the pope began moving more decisively to lead the church according to his unique vision.

That difference has become increasingly visible over the last 12 months. While Pope Francis often governed forcefully, Pope Leo has seemed to engage with the Roman Curia in the same synodal spirit as Pope Francis ushered in, but struggled to implement. Shortly after the close of the Jubilee Year, he convened an extraordinary consistory with cardinals from around the world and announced it would become a recurring forum for discussion on major church issues.

Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin said the pope has shown that synodality -- the church’s emphasis on communal discernment and shared responsibility -- is his "first and foremost" style of governance. 

"Listening is an act of great ecclesial significance," he said in a talk March 18 in Rome. "That the pope makes himself available to listen is a great lesson for everyone."

Drawing on his Augustinian spirituality, Pope Leo has repeatedly stressed that truth emerges through listening to many, even divergent, perspectives rather than debate or conflict.

"He has highlighted the need for ongoing conversation, and that truth does not come from one individual, but rather through dialogue among many," theologian Jaisy Joseph said during the  April 28 lecture at Villanova University, which was also livestreamed.

Joseph said Pope Leo has presented synodality "as an antidote to the deep polarizations of our times."

Father John Wauck, a professor of church communication at the Pontifical Holy Cross University in Rome, said Pope Leo’s deeply Augustinian spirituality helps explain his governing style.

"He quotes St. Augustine almost every time he opens his mouth," Father Wauck said during an online seminar with journalists in February. "That profound Augustinian identity of the pope is key."

Father Wauck added that Pope Leo does not appear interested in making himself the central protagonist of church life.

"That’s how I think he understands his role as a source of unity, a point of reference, but not necessarily the protagonist," he said. "He doesn’t need to be the center of action."

That approach has also helped Pope Leo navigate divisions within the church at a moment of deep polarization among some Catholics. 

Debates over liturgy and authority continue to divide some Catholics, including the traditionalist Society of St. Pius X's announced plans to consecrate new bishops July 1, following years of tension. While tensions remain between traditionalists who hold objections to certain church teachings, particularly those of the Second Vatican Council, and Catholics who would like to see even further reforms, those close to the pope say he has always had the ability to make people across ideological lines feel genuinely heard.

"He’ll listen to somebody before he’ll say, ‘Yeah, I can see what you’re saying, and I hear you and I recognize what you’re pointing out as a need. I hope you can also see the need that I’m trying to present to you on the other side of the coin,’" Father Purcaro said.

Father Purcaro pointed to two prominent church figures from opposite ends of the Catholic spectrum who both felt listened to by Pope Leo: U.S. Jesuit Father James Martin, known for his outreach to LGBTQ+ Catholics, and U.S. Cardinal Raymond Burke, a proponent of traditionalist values and longtime critic of Pope Francis' initiatives. Both men met with Pope Leo during his first year in office.

Pope Leo’s background has also shaped the global perspective of his papacy. Before becoming pope, he spent about 20 years in each in three parts of the world: United States, Peru and Rome, becoming a Peruvian citizen during his years serving in Chiclayo. Father Wauck described him as both "a North and South American pope" and "truly a citizen of the world."

His missionary experience has remained central to his priorities, particularly on migration.

Father John Lydon, an Augustinian priest who worked alongside then-Bishop Prevost in Peru, recalled how the future pope publicly defended human rights during Peru’s authoritarian period in the 1990s and later organized support programs like soup kitchens and temporary housing for Venezuelan migrants arriving in Chiclayo.

"He’s not going to bend, because the moral compass is clear," Father Lydon said at the April 28 event at Villanova University. "Migration has always been an issue close to Pope Leo’s heart."

Thus far, he has made it clear his priorities for the Church lie with justice, human dignity, and peace. On the flight back from Africa to Rome in April, the pope told reporters that "unity or division of the church should not revolve around sexual matters," saying "there are much greater and more important issues, such as justice, equality, freedom of men and women, freedom of religion, that would all take priority before that particular issue." 

This insistence on justice and charity has increasingly shaped Pope Leo’s language on global affairs.

During an 11-day trip across Algeria, Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea last month, the pope delivered some of the strongest speeches of his pontificate so far, condemning war, corruption, authoritarianism and economic exploitation, marking what Father Purcaro described as the actual "beginning of his papacy."

"The masters of war pretend not to know that it takes only a moment to destroy, yet often a lifetime is not enough to rebuild," the pope said during a peace gathering April 16 in Bamenda, Cameroon.

In Angola, he criticized economic systems that prioritize profit over human dignity.

"How much suffering, how many deaths, how many social and environmental disasters are brought about by this logic of extractivism!" he told political leaders and diplomats April 18.

Cardinal McElroy said the pope has become increasingly comfortable exercising a moral voice on the world stage as his papacy has progressed.

"There is no prophetic moral voice in the world at this time, other than Pope Leo’s," he said.

Still, those close to Pope Leo say his leadership style is unlikely to become more combative or ideological. Father Purcaro said the pope prefers nuance over commands and sees dialogue itself as part of the Church's mission.

"So when people listen to Pope Leo hoping he’s got the definitive word on what is to be done, they’re looking for something that’s not there," he told CNS. "The process is the goal. It’s listening to one another, respecting one another, being aware that everybody has something to offer."

Father Purcaro said he expects Pope Leo to publish his own version of "Rerum Novarum" soon, following in the footsteps of Pope Leo XIII, whose encyclical,  "Rerum Novarum," is considered the foundational document for the church's social teaching. The document from 1891 emphasizes the dignity of workers and condemns the dangers of unchecked capitalism and socialism.

In the Vatican and on the global stage, Father Purcaro said no one should expect to get explicit instructions or commands from the pope, because he has never been that way. He prefers to lead with nuance, with an Augustinian compass. 

"He's slowly winning people over or challenging them to grow," he said. " I think we have a long way to go to see how he will be able to, with the help of the Spirit, obviously, shape the church to respond to the needs of our times."

Reporting by CNS Rome is made possible by the Catholic Communication Campaign. Give to the CCC special collection in your diocese or any time at: https://bit.ly/CCC-give

Ahead of the pope's May 8 visit to Pompeii, Italy, the hometown of the saint who promoted the "Fifteen Saturdays" devotion, a new book seeks to reintroduce people to this "forgotten Marian devotion."

“I really had to do a double take, because conventional wisdom has been that there will never be a pope from the United States,” said Archbishop Mitchell Rozanski of St. Louis.

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WASHINGTON - Catholics in dioceses across the United States are invited to support the Church’s mission of evangelization by contributing to the U.S. bishops’ Catholic Communication Campaign at Mass on the weekend of May 16-17.

This annual collection supports efforts to proclaim the Gospel through digital media, social platforms, and Catholic news coverage, helping the Church reach people where they are—especially in an increasingly online world.

“Throughout my ministry as a parish priest, a chaplain to university students, and now as a bishop, I have seen how deeply people—especially the young—are shaped by digital media,” said Bishop William D. Byrne, chairman of the Committee on Communications for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). “If we hope to share the Gospel effectively, we must be present in digital spaces, offering clarity and sharing the mercy and truth of Jesus Christ.

When Catholics give to the Catholic Communication Campaign, half of their gift remains in their diocese to support local communications efforts, while the other half supports national initiatives. Some dioceses choose a different date, and those who wish to give but are unable to do so at Mass may donate online at #iGiveCatholic to support the USCCB’s national communication efforts. 

Because of this support, the bishops of the United States are able to engage millions of people each day through social media, video, and other digital platforms.

Some of the projects supported by the Catholic Communication Campaign include:

• Daily Mass readings and related resources on the U.S. bishops’ website, which reach hundreds of millions of people each year and are increasingly shared across digital platforms to support prayer and formation: bible.usccb.org/.
• In-depth coverage of Pope Leo XIV, his ministry and travels by the Catholic News Service bureau in Rome, providing trusted Catholic journalism to audiences in the United States and beyond.
• A series of roundtables on Catholics and mental health, featuring bishops and clinical experts. These valuable discussions can be viewed on the USCCB website at: www.usccb.org/committees/laity-marriage-family-life-and-youth/roundtable-discussions-mental-health.
• Livestreamed coverage of the bishops’ plenary assemblies, allowing the faithful to witness the bishops gathered in fraternity to address pastoral priorities and proclaim the Gospel with a unified voice.
• Social media content across the U.S. bishops’ platforms reaches hundreds of millions of users each year, bringing the work of the conference and the voices of bishops directly to Catholics and people of goodwill in engaging, accessible formats.

“When you give to the Catholic Communication Campaign, you shed light on the work of the Church and help the Church to shed the light of Christ on everyone,” Bishop Byrne said.

For more information: www.usccb.org/committees/catholic-communication-campaign

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WASHINGTON – Pope Leo XIV has accepted the resignation of Bishop Larry Silva, 76, from the pastoral governance of the Diocese of Honolulu, and has appointed Reverend Michael T. Castori, SJ, as Bishop-elect of Honolulu. Father Castori is a member of the Society of Jesus, a religious order, and currently serves as rector of the Arrupe Jesuit Residence at Seattle University in Seattle, Washington.

The resignation and appointment were publicized in Washington, D.C. on May 6, 2026, by Monsignor Većeslav Tumir, chargé d’affaires, a.i., of the Apostolic Nunciature in the United States.

The following biographical information for Bishop-elect Castori was drawn from preliminary materials provided to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops:

Father Castori was born on October 21, 1960, in Sacramento, California. He received a bachelor’s degree in classics from Harvard University (1982); a master’s degree in philosophical resources (1991); a master of divinity from the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley (1998); and studied Hebrew languages at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (1999). He received a Ph.D. in near eastern religions from the University of California, Berkeley (2008), and a licentiate in sacred theology from Fordham University (2009).

He was ordained to the priesthood on June 13, 1998. Father Castori’s pastoral assignments include: ministry to the homeless through St. Ignatius parish in Baltimore, Maryland for the Jesuit Volunteer Corps (1984-1985); Catholic chaplaincies at Crouse-Irving Memorial Hospital in Syracuse, New York (1987-1989), St. Barnabas Hospital in Bronx, New York (1989-1991), and Suva Prison in Fiji (1991-1994). He served in pastoral ministry over the summer at St. Anthony of Padua parish in Nuku’alofa, Kingdom of Tonga (1995) and St. Teresa of Avila parish in Ha’apai, Kingdom of Tonga (1997), and was chaplain to the Tongan Catholic communities in northern California from 1996 to 2024. He also served in Catholic chaplaincy at San Quentin State Prison in California (1997-2005); in pastoral ministry at Mission Santa Clara and Campus Ministry at Santa Clara University (2008-2013); and he was associate pastor at All Saints parish in Hayward, California (2014-2024).

Bishop-elect Castori’s teaching experience includes: instructor for the Collegiate Program at St. Ignatius House of Studies in Guam (1985-1987); instructor at Assumption High School in Majuro, Republic of Marshall Islands (1989); lecturer in philosophy at Pacific Regional Seminary in Suva, Fiji (1991-1994); assistant professor in the department of religious studies at Santa Clara University (2008-2013); and assistant professor at East Asian Pastoral Institute in Ateneo de Manila in the Philippines (2011). He served as a member of the presbyteral council of the Diocese of Oakland from 2015-2024, and as a member of the diocese’s priest personnel board from 2019-2024. From 2021 to 2025, he was vicar for clergy for the Diocese of Oakland. Bishop-elect Castori has served as rector of Arrupe Jesuit Residence at Seattle University since 2025. He speaks English, Spanish, Hebrew, Greek, Latin and Tongan.

The Diocese of Honolulu is comprised of 6,435 square miles in the State of Hawaii.

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VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The Catholic Church is the guardian of hope, whose members are called to speak clearly against all evil and in defense of human life, Pope Leo XIV said.

The Church, as "the pilgrim people of God on earth," he said during his general audience in St. Peter's Square May 6, "reads and interprets the dynamics of history through the Gospel, denouncing evil in all its forms and proclaiming, in word and deed, the salvation that Christ wishes to bring about for all humanity and his kingdom of justice, love and peace."

"As the guardian of a hope that enlightens the path," he added, the Church is "invested with the mission of speaking clearly to reject everything that mortifies life and prevents its development, and to take a position in favor of the poor, the exploited, the victims of violence and war, and all those who suffer in body and in spirit." 

The pope's remarks were part of his continuing series of reflections on the documents of the Second Vatican Council, specifically, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, "Lumen Gentium." His May 6 catechesis was dedicated to the Church's eschatological dimension, that is, the transcendent, transtemporal and transhistorical nature of the kingdom of God.

"This is an essential dimension which, however, we often overlook or downplay, because we are too focused on what is immediately visible and on the more concrete dynamics of the life of the Christian community," the pope said.

"The Church is God’s people journeying through history, which has the kingdom of God as the purpose of all her action," he said. "We are therefore called to consider the community and cosmic dimension of salvation in Christ and to turn our eyes to this final horizon, to measure and evaluate everything from this perspective." 

The Catholic Church lives in human history at the service of the coming of the kingdom of God in the world, he said. "She proclaims the words of this promise to all and always." 

That means the Church is not proclaiming herself, he said. "On the contrary, everything within her must point to salvation in Christ."

Despite being at the service of the kingdom of God, "the Church is called to recognize humbly the human fragility and transience of her own institutions," which can never be treated as "absolute," he said.

"Indeed, since they exist within history and time, they are called to continual conversion, to the renewal of forms and the reform of structures, to the continual regeneration of relationships, so that they may truly fulfil their mission," Pope Leo said.

As members of the same body, he said in a summary of his remarks in English, "we too are called to renewal. We do this by remaining in communion with Christ and one another. The entire Church is most closely united in our praise of God in the liturgy." 

The Church "does not identify perfectly with the Kingdom of God, but is its seed and beginning, for its fulfilment will be granted to humanity and the cosmos only at the end," he said in his main catechesis.

Those who believe in Christ can walk this pilgrimage on earth, marked by injustices and suffering, without being either deluded or despairing, he said, as "they live guided by the promise received from the One who will 'make all things new.'"

That is why the church, as a guardian of hope, urges her members to clearly reject evil and promote God's kingdom of justice, love and peace, he said.
 

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Reporting by CNS Rome is made possible by the Catholic Communication Campaign. Give to the CCC special collection in your diocese or any time at: https://bit.ly/CCC-give

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Even though Pope Leo XIV is not visiting the United States this year, the popemobile is!

The white, custom-built Hyundai vehicle will go on a 13-city tour of the U.S., covering 3,700 miles from New York to California.

Dubbed the "Hopemobile," Pope Francis wanted the popemobile to be used after his death to benefit those who are poor and vulnerable.

This week it was given to Cross Catholic Outreach, the U.S.-based Catholic relief and development organization, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.  

Archbishop Luis Marín de San Martín, head of the Dicastery for the Service of Charity, handed the keys over to CCO's president, Michele Sagarino, who said they will use the popemobile to create moments of encounter, prayer and action to help children affected by war.

"At a moment when the country is reflecting on its history, this is an opportunity not just to serve, but to witness, to evangelize, to bring faith into the public square and to invite people into a deeper encounter with the Catholic faith, and a greater compassion and care for the vulnerable around the world," she said in a statement to CNS. 

The initiative, called "American Catholic Heroes: The Road Trip for Hope," will run from June to July and coincide with the 250th anniversary of the signing of the United States Declaration of Independence in 1776.

Cross Catholic Outreach has invited Michael Iskander, the actor who played King David in the streaming series, House of David, to drive the popemobile. The Catholic prayer app, Hallow, will film a video series to premiere on YouTube.

CCO plans to raise money for children around the world who have been affected by war, and to highlight different "heroes of the faith" who devoted their lives to the Gospel. 

Over the past 25 years, Cross Catholic Outreach has received upwards of $4 billion worth of donations, which have gone to support hundreds of programs in more than 90 countries. They have been assisting the Vatican dicastery for many years, particularly in material aid for Ukraine.