Brought to the Vatican in 2023 by Pope Francis as head of the office that vets bishop nominations, Robert Prevost was entrusted with the chair of Saint Peter. The first American pope succeeds Francis, preaching peace while confronting political and social divides and urgent global crises. Seen as a firm supporter of his predecessorโs papacy – especially of the late pontiffโs commitment to social justice issues – Pope Leo XIV is likely to carry forward the legacy of Pope Francis, while forging his own path. The Argentinian pontiff, Peter C. Phan claims, leaves behind a transformative inheritance of compassion, reform and inclusivity. Born in Vietnam, Phan has lived in the United States since 1975, when his family arrived in Texas as refugees from the Vietnam War. A professor at Georgetown University and former president of the Catholic Theological Society of America,ย the theologian recalls, in an exclusive interview with โO Clarimโ, some of the most defining aspects of Pope Francisโs papacy and how they can shape Pope Leo XIVโs pontificate.
