Six key things we learned about Pope Leo in his first year

(CNN) — Pope Leo XIV is marking one year since his historic election, making the transition from a low-profile cardinal to one of the most recognizable figures on the planet.

His election led to something previously thought impossible: an American pope. But his pontificate has witnessed an historic period of tension between the White House and the Vatican, with the Augustinian friar taking office just a few months after President Donald Trump’s re-election.

Those who know the pope well say he remains the same person despite the monumental changes of the last 365 days. “We don’t see great differences,” Rev. Joseph Farrell, prior general of the Augustinian Order and friend of the pope, told CNN. “It still is a bit unbelievable to see him (as pope) and yet it makes so much sense. As one of our friars said to me: ‘it looks like he went to pope school.’”

And Leo still has his sense of humor. Another friend and Augustinian friar, Rev. Tom McCarthy, said that after his election he gave Leo a hug, but asked afterward if he should have done that. “They were about to shoot you!” the pope joked.

So, after 12 months in office, what have we learned about the first American pope?

1. He’s unafraid of speaking up – even if it irritates Trump

Leo XIV’s style is measured and deliberate and, as a mathematician, he takes a process-oriented approach to solving problems. He is also more formal in dress and style than his predecessor Pope Francis, who was more of a disruptor willing to break with protocol.

However, Leo does follow Francis when it comes to speaking out on immigration, the environment, poverty and capital punishment. His years in Peru serving among some of its poorest communities have given him a strong sense of social justice. He’s described the treatment of immigrants in the US as “inhuman,” while recently calling for the abolition of the death penalty.

“Pope Leo XIV has managed to ensure that his voice and actions are heard and seen with particular force by not backing down on his call for world peace, his support for migrants, and his appeal against the use of nuclear weapons,” Paola Ugaz, an investigative journalist from Peru who knows the pope well, told CNN.

The Iran war, though, is where the pope has spoken most forcefully, taking the unusual decision to name Trump, and denounce any religious justification of conflict. The pope’s speeches during his recent trip to Africa were bold, with Leo saying in Cameroon that the world is being “ravaged by a handful of tyrants” and railing against corruption.

“The only thing that I’ve noticed that has been heavy upon him is the tragedy of war, and the suffering that people go through,” Farrell said. “His response has been very clear… that the way towards resolution, of finding solutions, is not with arms, it’s not with weapons, it’s to be disarmed, and disarming, and to dialog.”

Leo’s forthright moves have sparked an unprecedented clash between a US-born pope and US president. And yet in the face of an extraordinary barrage of attacks, Leo appears to have been unfazed.

Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago told CNN that’s because the pontiff “doesn’t see himself as a rival to any head of state” and instead his mission is to bring “a unique perspective, beyond any given nation.”

Cupich said Trump’s criticisms won’t have bothered Leo as “frustration and being perturbed are luxuries he can’t afford.” Instead, the cardinal explained that the pope is “going to do what’s right” and is “not going to hedge his bets.”

2. He’s bringing an American flavor to the Vatican

The last 12 months have bought a distinctly US-vibe to the Vatican, from the pope wearing a White Sox baseball cap to receiving pumpkin pies mid-flight during his first foreign visit over Thanksgiving.

In the popemobile in St. Peter’s square, he’s been known to banter about baseball results (he’s a passionate White Sox fan) and accept a slice of deep-dish pizza or his favorite candy (Peeps).

Another novelty is a pope who speaks English as a mother tongue, something not seen for centuries. While Leo’s predecessors often had their words interpreted or subtitled in English, the current pope speaks in a mid-western accent, allowing his words and interventions to have a greater impact with an anglophone audience.

3. He’s not rushing to reform

Cupich says that the pope is continuing the reforming vision of Pope Francis, who insisted on a more inclusive Catholic Church with greater roles for women and those not in the hierarchy. However, Cupich insists Leo is also continuing the work of the Second Vatican Council, the 1962-65 gathering of bishops, which laid out a blueprint for the contemporary Church.

Francis famously stated “who am I to judge” when it came to gay priests, while Leo has also subtly reframed questions about sexuality.

“We tend to think that when the Church is talking about morality, that the only issue of morality is sexual,” he said last month. “And in reality, I believe there are much greater, more important issues, such as justice, equality, freedom of men and women, freedom of religion, that would all take priority before that particular issue.”

While the pope has indicated he won’t make major changes, he is adopting a step-by-step approach, appointing women to senior Vatican positions.

“Leo XIV’s style is measured, with few but necessary words, and when he makes a decision, there is no going back,” Ugaz said.

And on the clerical sexual abuse scandal, he has met regularly with survivors while insisting that there can be “no tolerance for any form of abuse in the Church.”

4. He’s digitally astute

“He’s very tech savvy,” is how McCarthy puts it. Leo is the first pontiff to be comfortable using a smart phone, wearing an Apple watch and writing his own emails. John Prevost, one of the pope’s brothers, recently told CNN’s Erin Burnett that Leo talked him through how to get back into his new computer when he was “locked out.”

He was also seen recently in Africa advising the Vatican photographer on how to compose a shot and has previously helped cardinals and bishops get in position for photos. He’s also very aware of the media and is conscious of what’s being reported, once joking with journalists, “you think you can read my mind or face. You are not always correct.”

Meanwhile, his first encyclical, a formal letter he sends to the world’s bishops, is expected to focus on artificial intelligence, a topic he has spoken about several times.

5. He’s quietly reshaping leadership of the US church

One of the surest ways a pope can influence the Church and its engagement in politics is through the appointment of bishops, with Leo making a series of influential picks for the US church during his first year.

In New York, he chose Archbishop Ronald Hicks, a fellow Chicagoan who spent time in Latin America, and Evelio Menjivar-Ayala, an El Salvador–born advocate for immigrants as the next bishop for Wheeling-Charleston, West Virginia. Menjivar-Ayala, who crossed illegally into the US hidden in the trunk of a car in 1990, has criticized the Trump administration’s immigration policy.

In fact, three of Leo’s first four US bishop appointments were born outside the country. That includes Bishop Michael Pham to San Diego, who came to America as child refugee from Vietnam. These choices have reinforced his position on immigration: that new arrivals, when welcomed and integrated, can strengthen their new home.

6. A ‘Leo effect’ could be behind a rise in interest in Catholicism

His first year in office has coincided with churches in the US – and in Europe – experiencing a resurgence of interest, particularly among Gen Z. His own Augustinian religious order has also reported a boost from young men wanting to join, which some are calling the “Leo effect.”

A US-born pope has an opportunity to connect with a new generation who seem open to exploring questions of faith, particularly after the Covid-19 lockdowns which restricted worship, and in a time of increased uncertainty.

At 70, Leo is younger than his immediate predecessors and, as such, can afford to play the long game. His first year has been one of adjustment, centered on establishing himself in the role and turning his American roots into assets, along with his time in Latin America. Ugaz says Leo’s perspective has “three dimensions: the United States, a Latin America marked by diversity, and a Vatican where the battles to be fought must be carefully chosen on a daily basis.”

He’s also focused on his core mission as pontiff – to pursue peace – even if it means riling those in power.

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