The Rev. Nelson Daniel Rupp was assigned to St. Augustine seminary for part of the time Robert Prevost was a student. Highlighted in a report about alleged abuse in the Catholic church, Rupp says he taught Prevost — who as Pope Leo XIV now is tasked with dealing with the scourge of child sex

A lawyer seemed to have a conflict of interest when he represented sisters who claimed the future pope covered up their abuse allegations against two priests. Now, one sister says her lawyer "didn't really want to help us.

Archbishop Filippo Iannone speaks at a press conference presenting the reform of canon law on June 1, 2021. Pope Leo XIV on Sept. 26, 2025, appointed Iannone as prefect of the Vatican Dicastery for Bishops, a department the Pope himself once led. (photo: Daniel Ibañez / CNA)

Who is Pope Leo XIV? What are his views? What are his leanings on long-running disputes within the church and in the secular world?

The Catholic Church's first American pope, Pope Leo XIV, says in an in-depth interview that he hasn't met or spoken with President Trump − yet.

When he was elected last May at age 69, the former Robert Prevost was the youngest pope since 1978, when Karol Wojtyla was elected Pope John Paul II at age 58. Many people in the square knew it was Leo's birthday and wished him well, especially given the weight of responsibility he had taken on to run the Catholic Church.

Leo XIV has shown his commitment to advancing priorities set by Pope Francis in a quieter and less disruptive manner. But his words often lack force and context.

Leo’s lifetime devotion to the theologian, philosopher, and memoirist Augustine offers a window into his papacy.