BOOKS – Pope Leo XIV: a dialoguing presence between old and new worlds

How will relations with Israel and Judaism change with the new pope? Vaticanist Carlo Marroni of the daily newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore addresses this question in one of the final chapters of his new book, Papa Leone XIV: Vita, storia e segreti (Pope Leo XIV: Life, History, and Secrets), published by Newton Compton.
After addressing some misunderstandings, Marroni suggests that a new beginning might be possible, citing Pagine Ebraiche to corroborate his thesis. Especially considering the first reactions of the Jewish world, which were “aimed at repairing the rift between religious dialogue and relations with Israel, in order to relaunch the shared commitment to fight antisemitism.”
It is still too early to form a comprehensive opinion on the matter, especially since, as a cardinal, Robert Francis Prevost never undertook significant assignments related to interfaith dialogue. Nonetheless, his theological education in Chicago, a city with a strong Jewish presence, and his ties with John T. Pawlikowski, a prominent figure in developing relations between the Jewish and Catholic churches, seem hopeful.

The book recounts the biography of the first North American pope and his stance on various sensitive topics, from diplomatic challenges to the celibacy of priests and the scourge of sexual abuse in the Church. One chapter focuses on his relations with the media. According to Marroni, Prevost “is the American alternative to a no longer American, but Chinese, century—a bridge between the old and new worlds, a dialoguing presence that is anything but submissive towards the Oriental empire.”

Translated by Rebecca Luna Escobar and revised by Chiara Tona, students at the Advanced School for Interpreters and Translators of the University of Trieste, trainees in the newsroom of the Union of the Italian Jewish Communities — Pagine Ebraiche.