What does NRC think | In an in an inaugural world, a admonishing voice is a blessing

For 1.4 billion Catholics, Pope Leo XIV is their new spiritual leader. It can be assumed that they will listen to him, although not all Catholics will follow their pope in everything. A new pope, it has been awarded the Catholics, but what does a pope in 2025 mean for the rest of the world?

A pope has no significant army, his territory fits in the center of Amsterdam, he has no raw materials. In the eyes of many atheists, the church is an archaic institute. Yet, especially in a violent era, the pope can play an important role, by appealing to universal values ​​and human dignity.

For many, the pope is still a moral authority, with celebrity status. That gives him influence. He always attracts attention and what he says is often also intended for non-Catholics and non-believers. A plea for climate measures is universal. The same applies to human rights.

The pope also has a fine -meshed diplomatic network. In addition, the Vatican is also a formal listener at the United Nations. In short, there is no other spiritual leader with a similar politically influential position like the Pope.

The power of the pope naturally has limits. A pope cannot prevent wars. He can draw attention to the victims of violence. Pope Francis stood up for the fate of the Palestinians. He could not stop the Gaza war, but he was quick to criticize the Israeli government.

It doesn’t hurt if victims and powerlessly have an influential advocate. It can be expected from Robert Prevost that he will continue that line of his predecessor. Prevost can at the same time be a voice for the global south. He lived and worked in Peru for twenty years.

Prevost is the first American pope. His predecessors saw it as their task of addressing China or Russia on violation of human rights. That is still offered today.

In the Trump era, the Pope must also call the United States to order. In a sense, the Vatican and the US were allies in that post -war order of democracy and law. Trump does not care much about those rules and – witness the dismantling of USAID – is not going to put American prosperity in for people in unfortunate circumstances. That is a task for Prevost.

From now on the world has to deal with two Americans who have a lot of influence in the public domain. Two Americans with completely different backgrounds. In addition to the real estate man from New York, who became Maga president, is a pope, who grew up in Chicago and whose grandparents of mother’s side Creoles from New Orleans.

The Pope is the representative of a conservative institute. That will not change with prevost. For decades, a struggle between conservatives and reformers has been raging in the Catholic Church. That is a fight for Catholics themselves.

But, in a period of time in which the number of conflicts increases every year, where superpowers feet international standards, where the power of the strongest rules and lawlessness becomes the rule, in such a world a powerful voice for humanity is indispensable. Someone has to appeal to conscience in such a world. It is hoped that Leo XIV will do that in a credible way.

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