Themes of peace and human dignity have been central to Pope Leo as he marks his first year in office

Pope Leo is following the teachings of Francis on human dignity and applying them to ongoing international crises, argues a scholar of global Catholicism.

By: Mathew Schmalz, College of the Holy Cross, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: May 4, 2026

Words: 1,242

Last Updated: 2 months, 3 weeks ago

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By Mathew Schmalz, College of the Holy Cross

When he was elected pope on May 8, 2025, Robert Prevost, who took the name Leo XIV, greeted the crowd with Christ’s words to his disciples: “Peace be with you.”

Peace has become a central theme of the pontificate of the first American pope. In recent months, opposing the war in the Middle East, Leo has said that the “world is being ravaged by a …

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