Caribou in the Caribbean

"It would be cool to have an American pope, but I think the odds of that are only slightly higher than the odds of Norwegian reindeer migrating to the Bahamas." (Me, 4 days ago)

"Howdy folks. I just thought I'd share with you a few thoughts about the newly elected pope. As I'm sure you've heard, the American cardinal Robert Prevost was elected and has chosen the name Leo XIV for his pontificate." (Jimmy Akin, 4 hours ago)

I guess that goes to show you should never take betting advice from me.

And yes, I'm aware caribou aren't actually reindeer and the Bahamas aren't actually in the Caribbean, but I always aim for alliteration when it comes to headlines, so there you go. Don't judge!

Over the past several hours, countless podcasters, talking heads, and other so-called "influencers" have suddenly become experts on this man they knew only a little about before today. I decline to join the orgy of overwrought self-importance in which their egos are indulging.

Pope Leo XIV has been in office for less than half a day as I type these words, and I have a sneaking suspicion that the right thing for all of us to do is form our opinions about his papacy based on things he does as pope. Meaning, you know, on things he does going forward - rather than on things we've heard he thinks or doesn't think, or on things we've heard he did or didn't do in the past.

He: is an American, born in Chicago in 1955... got his bachelor's degree at Villanova and later earned a doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas, whose alumni include Fulton Sheen (1924) and Pope John Paul II (1948)... joined the Order of Saint Augustine in 1977 and was ordained in 1982... spent (by my count) at least 22 years living in Peru, where he served as as a diocesan chancellor, canon law professor, and eventually Bishop of Chiclayo... became a cardinal and the prefect of the Roman Curia's Dicastery of Bishops two years ago, residing in Rome ever since... and became pope today.

With his main strengths being that of an organizer and process guy, rather than a philosopher like Pope John Paul II or theologian like Pope Benedict XVI, nobody really knows whether Leo XIV's theology lands on the orthodox or heterodox side of the spectrum, or somewhere in between. He has had little to say, publicly at least, regarding the hot button cultural and political issues that rile up so many of us in the West, so I encourage you to take everything with a heap of salt when people start claiming to know he's progressive on this or conservative on that. They think they know, but they don't. That's what his upcoming, actual papacy is for.

What we do know is that Leo XIV emerged on the balcony for his first papal appearance wearing the traditional red mozetta, which his predecessor Pope Francis notably spurned in his first appearance... the Augustinian order to which he belongs is well-regarded by traditionalists... his episcopal motto is In Illo uno unum, which translates to "In the One, we are one"... he spoke three different languages from the balcony, which was a historical first... and used Spanish when speaking about/to the Peruvian diocese he previously headed.

Most importantly, however, Leo XIV appeared contemplative and humbled by the moment when looking out at the crowd. He looked like a man who realizes how much weight is on his shoulders and knows he must pursue God's goals, not his own. And that is the kind of man the world needs. I pray for him.

Note: The photo at the beginning of this post is a screenshot I took while watching EWTN.