Drew Mariani welcomed Dr. Paul Kengor to unpack the early days of Pope Leo XIV’s papacy—and what they reveal about the kind of leader he’s shaping up to be. From his first ride in the Popemobile to receiving the Fisherman’s Ring, it’s clear: this Pope got to work right away, with purpose and pastoral urgency.
Dr. Kengor highlighted Pope Leo’s bold message to the cardinals in the Sistine Chapel, where he surprised many by speaking in English. His message? Doctrine doesn’t divide—it unites. With his hallmark blend of “clarity and charity,” Leo XIV is already signaling that his leadership will be both intellectually sharp and pastorally tender. He wants truth to be a bridge, not a battering ram.
Within 48 hours of his election, Pope Leo was already addressing one of the biggest modern challenges: artificial intelligence. Drawing from Rerum Novarum—Pope Leo XIII’s 1891 encyclical on labor and social justice—Leo XIV framed the AI conversation not just as a technological concern, but as a human dignity issue.
He warned of the dangers automation poses to workers and reminded the Church that this is a moment to defend justice, protect the vulnerable, and ask tough moral questions. In a world racing toward innovation, the Pope is urging Catholics not to lag behind but to lead with wisdom and faith.
Dr. Kengor also noted how Leo XIV continues the strong papal tradition of warning against socialism. From Rerum Novarum to Centesimus Annus, the Church has consistently spoken out against ideologies that flatten human dignity in the name of progress. Pope Leo, shaped by American cultural instincts and years in Latin America, understands both the creeping cultural Marxism in the West and the real-world consequences of collectivist systems.
What’s emerging is a Pope who combines doctrinal integrity with global awareness, someone grounded enough to preserve the Church’s core teachings, yet agile enough to navigate new terrain. As Dr. Kengor put it, Pope Leo XIV is acting like a theological GPS, helping us “recalculate” when the Church risks veering off-course.
He brings hope, direction, and a certain Midwestern grit. And if his first days are any indication, he’s ready to guide the Barque of Peter through turbulent waters—eyes on Christ, hand on the rudder.
We’ve got a steady captain. Let’s pray for him and follow his lead with courage.
