Survivors say Pope Leo must commit to transparency in investigations of priests accused of sexual abuse. His record on doing so in past years has some worried.

Nevertheless, the women who have worked closely with Prevost in recent years have praised his leadership style, ability to listen and respect for their opinions. In interviews with The Associated Press, they say they expect that as pope, Leo will continue to promote women in church governance positions, albeit with limits.

In the One, We Are One – and images underscore how for him, “promoting unity and communion is fundamental.” Local parishes may now purchase the official portrait of our new Holy Father.

The Holy Father stressed that the Holy See ‘is always ready to help bring enemies together’ to dialogue and recover ‘the dignity of peace.’

Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to the Vatican to attend Sunday’s inaugural mass of Pope Leo XIV, after Vance was the last American official to meet with Pope Francis shortly before his death last month.

Pope Leo XIV has been handed a list of Ukrainian soldiers in Russian captivity during a ceremony at the Vatican, Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War said on May 15.

It was the most electric thing I have ever experienced inside the walls of a Catholic church,” one protester recalls.

In one of Chicago’s south suburbs, while other boys were playing cops and robbers, the future Pope Leo XIV would pretend to hold Mass in the basement of his family’s small brick home, reading from scripture and distributing disk-shaped candy wafers to his two older brothers.