Bishop Robert Barron

It was extraordinary. There was a lot of, you know, kind of tension beforehand. It's always, you're sort of on tenterhooks during a conclave period, the interregnum, and we weren't sure. A lot of names were being bandied about, including the name of Robert Prevost, though most of us didn't take it seriously. And then I think leading up to the conclave, there was just a lot of

It was extraordinary. There was a lot of, you know, kind of tension beforehand. It's always, you're sort of on tenterhooks during a conclave period, the interregnum, and we weren't sure. A lot of names were being bandied about, including the name of Robert Prevost, though most of us didn't take it seriously. And then I think leading up to the conclave, there was just a lot of

It was extraordinary. There was a lot of, you know, kind of tension beforehand. It's always, you're sort of on tenterhooks during a conclave period, the interregnum, and we weren't sure. A lot of names were being bandied about, including the name of Robert Prevost, though most of us didn't take it seriously. And then I think leading up to the conclave, there was just a lot of

anticipation, a sense of forces jockeying against each other. The announcement itself was amazing. It came so quickly. Most of us thought this would be a longer conclave that might last into the third, even fourth day. And on the second day, we have the white smoke. And so most of us again thought, oh, it must be someone like Cardinal Parolin or one of the really expected candidates.

anticipation, a sense of forces jockeying against each other. The announcement itself was amazing. It came so quickly. Most of us thought this would be a longer conclave that might last into the third, even fourth day. And on the second day, we have the white smoke. And so most of us again thought, oh, it must be someone like Cardinal Parolin or one of the really expected candidates.

anticipation, a sense of forces jockeying against each other. The announcement itself was amazing. It came so quickly. Most of us thought this would be a longer conclave that might last into the third, even fourth day. And on the second day, we have the white smoke. And so most of us again thought, oh, it must be someone like Cardinal Parolin or one of the really expected candidates.

No one expected Robert Prevost, and certainly not on the fourth ballot. So there was a lot of I think both excitement, surprise, the wonderment about it.

No one expected Robert Prevost, and certainly not on the fourth ballot. So there was a lot of I think both excitement, surprise, the wonderment about it.

No one expected Robert Prevost, and certainly not on the fourth ballot. So there was a lot of I think both excitement, surprise, the wonderment about it.

Well, you know, I would look at him in terms of his name. I keep going back to his name, Leo XIV. It's very telling. You know, he could have chosen Francis II, obviously. He could have chosen John Paul III. He could have chosen John XXIV, in which case we would say, oh, he's clearly on this side or that side. Choosing Leo XIV is very interesting. Going back now to a figure more than a century ago,

Well, you know, I would look at him in terms of his name. I keep going back to his name, Leo XIV. It's very telling. You know, he could have chosen Francis II, obviously. He could have chosen John Paul III. He could have chosen John XXIV, in which case we would say, oh, he's clearly on this side or that side. Choosing Leo XIV is very interesting. Going back now to a figure more than a century ago,

Well, you know, I would look at him in terms of his name. I keep going back to his name, Leo XIV. It's very telling. You know, he could have chosen Francis II, obviously. He could have chosen John Paul III. He could have chosen John XXIV, in which case we would say, oh, he's clearly on this side or that side. Choosing Leo XIV is very interesting. Going back now to a figure more than a century ago,

who represents, I call it, an intelligent, creative engagement with modernity. So think of the 18th century revolutions and then the 19th century innovations in philosophy. Think of Kant, Hegel, Marx, the revolutions, etc. The church's first response to that was an emphatic no, and indeed the church was very persecuted by revolutionary France, for example.

who represents, I call it, an intelligent, creative engagement with modernity. So think of the 18th century revolutions and then the 19th century innovations in philosophy. Think of Kant, Hegel, Marx, the revolutions, etc. The church's first response to that was an emphatic no, and indeed the church was very persecuted by revolutionary France, for example.

who represents, I call it, an intelligent, creative engagement with modernity. So think of the 18th century revolutions and then the 19th century innovations in philosophy. Think of Kant, Hegel, Marx, the revolutions, etc. The church's first response to that was an emphatic no, and indeed the church was very persecuted by revolutionary France, for example.

But then by the end of the 19th century, you've got a figure like Leo XIII, who represents this intelligent engagement. It's both a yes and a no to modernity. I think that's what this new pope was gesturing toward in choosing that name, that he was in the tradition of Leo XIII. You know, and conservative Catholics, to this day, find a lot in Leo XIII they like.

But then by the end of the 19th century, you've got a figure like Leo XIII, who represents this intelligent engagement. It's both a yes and a no to modernity. I think that's what this new pope was gesturing toward in choosing that name, that he was in the tradition of Leo XIII. You know, and conservative Catholics, to this day, find a lot in Leo XIII they like.

But then by the end of the 19th century, you've got a figure like Leo XIII, who represents this intelligent engagement. It's both a yes and a no to modernity. I think that's what this new pope was gesturing toward in choosing that name, that he was in the tradition of Leo XIII. You know, and conservative Catholics, to this day, find a lot in Leo XIII they like.

Liberal Catholics find a lot they like in him. So it was a very clever choice, actually. Even before you get to particular kind of political issues, just the general attitude toward the modern world, he was telling us a lot about that.

Liberal Catholics find a lot they like in him. So it was a very clever choice, actually. Even before you get to particular kind of political issues, just the general attitude toward the modern world, he was telling us a lot about that.