Close trustees describe Premost reserved, almost shy. But they praise his listening ability evenly. “He was like a sponge at meetings,” says his father Andrew Small, a former secretary of the Franciscus Juvenile Defense Committee. “He's a listener and his questions tell you that you are processing what you say. That doesn't mean you know what he is thinking, but you know you've heard you.”
Leo XIV arrives on a global stage in a pivotal time when fundamental management is more vital than ever. He is faced with ongoing conflicts in Ukraine, the Middle Africa, Africa and South Aasia with politically split but morally urgent migration issues, religious freedom, human rights and climate crisis. He must navigate the right -wing nationalism and the potential economic downturn that threatens the most vulnerable in the world.
The power of the Pope extends far beyond Catholicism by 1.4 billion followers. The Pope may not have the military or economic power of other leaders, but has a moral authority that most global leaders do not. “Regardless of its weaknesses, the church is always a priority in the outskirts of at least the last 150 years. “We need someone who knows the poor, rejected, displaced on the world stage. Even if people just nod politely and move on, we still need that voice.”
