Roberto De Mattei on Leo XIV: Unity, Vatican II, and a risky repeat of Benedict

“Leo does not speak of an ‘hermeneutic of continuity,’ but his line does not seem different from the one set out by Benedict XVI,” observed the historian.

(Pelican+) — Speculation around Leo XIV and the course of his papacy continues relatively unabated. The first Pope from the U.S. has so far conducted a pontificate marked by notable discretion, especially when contrasted with that of his predecessor.

For many Vatican analysts Leo’s major appointments in the Roman Curia will be the most telling, but so far he has only filled the prefect position which was made vacant by his own election. In the face of this relative silence, therefore, and the implicit continuation of some of the Francis-era elements, many have sought to describe Leo as a Francis II while others sought (especially early on) to claim him as an ardent champion for the cause of tradition.

For Professor Roberto de Mattei, Leo is neither. The prominent Church historian and veteran of the Rome scene argued that the Pope displays some characteristics of John Paul II along with Benedict XVI, but that he is fundamentally his own man.

Interviewed by this correspondent for Pelican+, de Mattei urged caution and nuance when trying to understand Leo:

“The first point I would like to stress is that the thesis of those who judge Leo XIV to be a progressive in line with his predecessor seems to me just as superficial as that of those who would like to turn him into a conservative or traditionalist Pope. In my opinion, he reconnects—albeit with the new characteristics of his own personality—to the pontificates of John Paul II and Benedict XVI. He is therefore, at least up to this point, neither a Francis nor a Saint Pius X.”

Leo’s various addresses and speeches have highlighted the themes of unity, while also urging a reprioritization of the Second Vatican Council. For de Mattei, these two elements are linked, and appear as Leo’s answer to the chaos inherited from Pope Francis:

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The rest of this interview conducted exclusively for Pelican+, is found at this link. Interested readers looking to follow this correspondent’s Vatican reporting for Pelican Media can do so here with the discount code “HAYNES.”