The wall-to-wall coverage from Rome of the ascension of Pope Leo XIV blew everything else off the screen. High profile anchors like NBC’s Lester Holt, ABC’s Martha Raddatz and David Muir, along with CBS’s Norah O’Donnell reported live for days.
The coverage seemed to be about a million times greater because of Leo’s Chicago roots. Hosting ABC’s This Week on Sunday from Rome, Raddatz said, “You really don’t feel the enormity of all this until you walk among the people…it was a remarkable scene. Thousands filling this space to hear the Pope’s words” as she gestured toward St. Peter’s Square.
The first American, promoted by Pope Francis, Robert “Bob” Prevost from Chicago, was elected to try to fill his considerable shoes.
It was a joyful event for millions around the world, as Pope Leo took to the balcony calling for peace, and building bridges, to bring together a divided world and the Catholic church.
Norah O’Donnell called it an “electric moment” as she watched “tens of thousands of people from all over the world cheer.” She added that Pope Leo is viewed as a “unifying voice for progressives and conservatives.” She may be right, and his election will prove to be a watershed moment for the American church that has been steadily losing members.
Pope Leo shook hands with NBC’s Lester Holt, who specifically asked him if there is any chance of getting back home, “meaning Chicago, the United States.” He said, “I don’t think so. I think that falls in line with what we’ve been hearing. They’ve got a lot of work to do. He has a lot of work to do here at the Vatican.”
Leo told a crowd of more than 1,000 journalists, including the Vatican Press Corps, that we need to find a path to peace and “disarm communication of all prejudice and resentment, fanaticism and even hatred.” He received standing ovations from those attending. And he buoyed those, like me, who believe that coverage of the Pope should be balanced and respectful.
He added, “We do not need loud, forceful communication but rather communication that is capable of listening.” And he spoke of “the precious gift of free speech and of the press.” This echoed Francis’ comments in 2021 that some in conservative media are “bad-mouthing” him, adding they are the “work of the devil.”
The infighting began within minutes of his selection. Some in the media started to report on criticism about Leo’s handling of priest abuse cases during his two decades in Peru. So much for a honeymoon.
For the most part, TV networks interviewed guests who were pro-Leo and raised a few questions about allegations of his failure to investigate priest abuse claims. In a six-minute segment, Raddatz interviewed Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich, including one question about abuse cases. Cupich responded that Leo reached out to victims, has a record of conducting investigations, and reported information to authorities.
MSNBC reported that many of Trump’s MAGA supporters were already attacking what they see as Pope Leo’s left-leaning views. And that includes the Trump administration’s immigration policies. Leo’s social media account, when he was a Cardinal, showed he was not shy about criticizing him or Vice President Vance. He reposted a link saying, “JD Vance: Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others.”
Pope Leo XIV was elevated to Cardinal by Francis two years ago, overseeing the selection of new bishops from around the world. The two are known for embracing the poor and immigrants, and for their focus on social justice and global outreach. To many, it seems Leo will carry on the major tenets of Francis’ papacy, some going so far as to say he will be Francis II.
It was a relief to many, including myself, to see the continuation of Francis’ efforts to challenge the divide in the Catholic church. While the majority of pundits across most broadcast and cable networks extolled the virtues of this approach to leadership for days after his election, it has become acceptable for some in conservative Catholic media to dismiss and insult their leaders.
One thing I like about Pope Leo’s initial debut is that, like Francis, he understands the importance of speaking to the media. Even days after Leo appeared on the loggia, the media can’t get enough. The New York Times even profiled Leo’s mother. And his brother, Louis Prevost, briefly became a media darling doing endless interviews and confirming that his sibling is indeed a White Sox fan. But yesterday he restricted his incendiary pro-MAGA Facebook posts, telling Piers Morgan he would “probably tone it down.”
The media seemed to be on the same page about communicating. One anchor, who I got to know in Rome, said journalists almost always got along and everyone played nicely in the sandbox. She said that the only point of tension was when the water cooler wasn’t working or the coffee pot was empty.
It remains to be seen how the new Pope fares over time, but in my view, what’s clear so far is that the Cardinals did not elect a radical leader. In covering him, I admire his attitude.
Here again, he reminds me of Pope Francis, whom I met twice, once in Rome and once in Washington. In 2015, he came to North America for his first state visit, and I was one of the leaders of the team that coordinated media coverage and messaging around his trip. His soft-spoken manner and humble demeanor brought comfort to many who were lucky enough to be in his presence, especially the poor he met as they were being served lunch.
I don’t believe I’ll be able to meet Pope Leo, but I’ll surely be watching him carefully, hoping he will follow in the footsteps of his predecessor.
It seems he’ll be watching his native country. When a NewsNation reporter asked the Pope, “Any message for the United States?” He gave a one-word answer: “Many.” He paused and then added, ”God bless you all.”
Amen.
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