On May 8, white smoke rose above the Sistine Chapel, signaling the election of a new pope following a two-day conclave. The conclave of 133 cardinal-electors, gathered from across the world, elected Cardinal Robert Prevost — now Pope Leo XIV. His election marks the start of a new papacy in the wake of a decade-long pontificate remembered for its pastoral warmth, global advocacy for the marginalized and a renewed focus on mercy.
As the global Church begins to adjust to new leadership, many Catholic women around the world are reflecting on the legacy of Pope Francis and their hopes and prayers for the new pontificate.
Mourning a Pastoral Pope
Michelle Yañez, a cradle Catholic and high school social studies teacher in Texas, said she was surprised by the depth of her emotional response to Pope Francis’s death. “I don’t think I really cared … about my faith outside my parish until after confirmation,” she said, noting that she set her alarm and got up early to watch the Vatican live stream of Pope Francis’ funeral several weeks ago.
Yañez added that Francis’example had prompted deeper self-examination. “I’m questioning how considerate I am of the marginalized after the passing of Francis,” she told FemCatholic. “I hope and pray the next successor of Peter is as pastoral as Francis.”
Other Catholic women that FemCatholic spoke with echoed Michelle’s sentiment, especially among younger Catholic women who saw Francis as a figure of consistency and courage.
Grace Bolling, a Catholic woman from southeast Alaska, said that she was most struck by the loss of his personal, human touch. “In the past couple of years, I was predicting that he would take some time to come attend the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan & Cortina. Visiting the common folk and living like a regular human being was a huge factor of his identity, and stopping by to enjoy those games and visit people there would’ve totally been in his character.”
Musing on her disappointment that Francis would never be able to attend the forthcoming XXV Winter Olympics in 2026, she reflected, “I fully believe he would’ve taken the time to do that.”
Of the new pope, Bolling shared, “From what I’ve seen of him, Pope Leo XIV… looks as approachable as Pope Francis. So it’s honestly getting easier for me to envision him making a visit at Milan-Cortina 2026 too.”
Who Is Pope Leo XIV?
Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost, OSA, is the first American-born pope in the Church’s history. Born in Chicago on September 14, 1955, he entered the Order of St. Augustine in his youth and was ordained a priest in 1982. He spent much of his ministry in Peru, serving as a missionary and vocations director before being appointed bishop of Chiclayo in 2015. Now a dual citizen of Peru, he speaks five languages: English, Italian, French, Spanish, and Portugese.
In 2020, he was called to Rome to lead the Dicastery for Bishops, where he oversaw the appointment of bishops worldwide and became a trusted close friend and advisor to Pope Francis. In 2023, Prevost was given the rank of cardinal-deacon by Francis and in February of this year, he was named cardinal-bishop.
Upon his election, Prevost chose the name Leo XIV. He has given a perhaps unexpected reason for this choice: the ongoing challenge of the “defense of human dignity, justice, and labor” amidst the rapid rise of AI. The last pope to choose the name Leo, Pope Leo XIII, was known for both the development of modern Catholic social teaching and his encyclical Rerum Novarum. Leo XIII was well known for his attempts to defend workers’ rights, labor unions, and fair wages.
Throughout the days following the conclusion of the conclave, his tweets spanning the past decade have been re-shared by Catholics throughout the world, particularly a recent retweet of a National Catholic Reporter by Kat Armas with the title: “JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others.”
In his first homily, delivered on May 9, Pope Leo XIV focused on the significance of faith in the contemporary world, saying that “the lack of faith often carries with it tragedies such as the loss of meaning in life, the neglect of mercy, violations of human dignity in the most dramatic manners, the crisis of the family and so many other wounds that afflict our society.”
Hopes and Prayers for the Future
For many Catholic women, questions remain about how Pope Leo XIV will respond to calls for greater inclusion of women in Church decision-making, liturgical roles, and leadership.
Gabriella Leone, a historian and curator in New York City, noted that Francis’ openness to encounter had “made many people who had felt excluded from the church feel seen, heard, and welcomed.” She cited Francis’ leadership on behalf of migrants and the marginalized as one of his most significant contributions during his papacy. “He was a critical moral voice on the global stage,” she said, noting that Francis lived out the Christian faith that he claimed in a way that many world leaders do not.
Meanwhile, Melissa Columbo, a high school teacher and mother, said her primary hope is for unity and spiritual integrity. Prior to the start of the conclave, she told FemCatholic, “I’m just praying that the voice of the Holy Spirit will ring loud above our own human error and agenda.” She emphasized her desire for a pope that will unite the church, balancing adherence to Catholic doctrine alongside a need for outreach to those frequently sidelined by the institutional church.
Columbo, who is walking her students through the papal transition in class, said it’s been an exciting teaching moment. “As a Catholic high school teacher it’s exciting to get to experience this with my students who are learning so much and excited to see the process unfold!”
Stephanie Boccuzzi, a former theology teacher and current health leader based in Connecticut, shared a sense of profound hope reflecting on the first days of Pope Leo XIV’s papacy. What struck her community most, she said, was the pope’s early declaration that “evil will not prevail.”
“I get the sense that Pope Leo XIV holds [Pope Francis’] familial spirit with equal fervor,” she said. For her, the new pope’s call to joy amid a fractured world is a way to combat hatred.
A Transitional Moment
The election of Pope Leo XIV comes at a time of significant transition not only in the Vatican, but within global Catholicism. The Synod on Synodality, growing political polarization in Western Catholic communities, and the role of the Church in responding to war, immigration, and climate change remain critical issues.
For many Catholic women, the question is whether the new pope will continue the emphasis on encounter, mercy, and accompaniment that marked Francis’s twelve-year tenure.
“I am praying that the cardinals and the new Pope lean into and put to use the gifts of the Holy Spirit, especially the courage to live Christian charity and continue Francis’ outreach to the poor and marginalized and be a voice for them on the world stage,” said Leone.
If Pope Leo XIV’s first homily is any indication, he is following closely in the footsteps of Francis’ model of unity, mercy and outreach. What’s also clear is that Catholic women around the world are paying close attention as the 267th leader of the Roman Catholic Church begins his papacy.
