What does the first US-born pope mean for the church?

Published May 14, 2025 at 4:43 PM EDT

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Robert Francis Prevost addresses the crowd from the main central loggia balcony of the St Peter's Basilica for the first time, after the cardinals ended the conclave, in The Vatican.

On Sunday, Catholic churches across the world celebrated Mass while a new leader took the top seat in Vatican City. That new leader is Pope Leo XIV.

But when white smoke rose last week, some of the faithful may have been surprised when Robert Prevost walked out of St. Peter's Basilica victorious. He's the first US-born pope in history.

During his first week, Pope Leo XIV called for a ceasefire in Gaza and peace in Ukraine. On Monday he called Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He also met with journalists and said we need "communication that is capable of listening and of gathering the voices of the weak who have no voice."

About 20 percent of Americans identify as Catholic, according to Pew Research Center. And Catholicism is rapidly growing in Africa. According to the Vatican, 20 percent of the world's Catholics live in Africa. Between 2022 and 2023, the number of Catholics on the continent increased by 9 million.

How much influence does the Pope have around the world? Why is the U.S. relationship with Catholic leadership important?

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