Leo XIV and the Challenge of Synodality - and of Germany -- by Roberto de Mattei

Leo Riding the German Machine

Roberto de Mattei

Corrispondenza Romana

January 28. 2026

Thirty years ago, French historian François Furet published a famous book that presented itself as an assessment of 20th-century Communism in the aftermath of the collapse of the Soviet Union (The Past of an Illusion, Italian translation published by Mondadori, Milan, 1995). The originality of the work lay in its being a history of Communism, not as a party or state system, but as the attractive force of an idea that turned out to be an illusion, and therefore a utopia.

The path of this utopia, wrote Furet, “is more mysterious than the real history of communism.” Its spread throughout the world was in fact much more widespread than that of Communist power. However, the disappearance of so-called 'Real Socialism' meant the loss of credibility of the historical promise, and therefore its end, because communism ceased to appear as the bright future of humanity. Hence the title of Furet's book: The Past of an Illusion.

Pope Leo XIV is starting to make waves — and some are worried (And the strange case of the visit to Spain)

By Wanderer

Argentina

 In keeping with Francis' teachings, Pope Leo is starting to make trouble [original word: lío]. And on several levels. 

For example, what has just happened in Spain. It is known that a few weeks ago he called Cardinal Cobo, Archbishop of Madrid, to tell him that he wants to visit Spain this year. In other words, he invited himself, and no one knows exactly why. The problem is that the official invitation must be issued by the head of state, the king, and by the prime minister, Pedro Sánchez. The former will do as he is told, and the latter was reluctant to sign the invitation. And that is why the dates of the visit have not yet been confirmed. 

Francis-instituted Vatican Commission says NO to Female Diaconate - English Translation of Full Report

 Announced today -- report by Vatican News (followed by our translation of the full text of letter and report submitted to Pope Leo XIV):

Petrocchi Commission says no to female diaconate, though judgment not definitive

A report presenting the results of the Commission’s work has been released. It rules out admitting women to the diaconate understood as a degree of the sacrament of Holy Orders, but says that it is not currently possible “to formulate a definitive judgment, as in the case of priestly ordination.” [Vatican News]

***

Summary of the Study Commission on the Female Diaconate, December 4, 2025

To His Holiness

Leo XIV

Dear Holy Father,

A Sign of the Times: Leo XIV undoes important Francis Motu Proprio about the City of Rome

The Pope -- Bishop of Rome. While his concerns are mainly with the Universal Church, the Pope remains of course the Bishop of Rome, which is the central reason of why he is the Pastor of the Universal Church in the first place.

But since for many centuries, they have been so busy with the Church outside the City, they have for many centuries kept a Cardinal-Vicar, who administer the diocese.

Also for many decades, especially since Rome became once again a bustling modern metropolis, the central area of the City (which includes most of what the ancient, the modern, and the pilgrims and tourists identify as Rome proper) has been administered as a whole: the map below, from the pontificate of Benedict XVI, identifies this area, the Settore Centro, in red (the Vatican itself appears in yellow). The exact limits at the time had been defined by John Paul II.

Leo and the American Bishops - the USCCB Election and Fake News Pushed by American Liberals

by Serre Verweij

The USCCB has elected its new leaders. A new president, vice-president, secretary and committee heads. There have been spins and interpretations on both sides, as usual, with the typical questions of what it says or does not say about President Trump and whether the elections reflect any influence of Pope Leo XIV.

It might be best to take inspiration from the Pope to reject fake news, search for the truth, and approach the recent developments through a mathematical lens. 

Indicative numbers

LEO AND THE CHINESE: An Enigma - Part VI in the Series "The First Year of Leo XIV"

 

LEO AND THE CHINESE

by Serre Verweij

for Rorate Cæli

[Part I - Leo and the Germans.]

[Part II - Leo and Synodality.]

[Part III - Leo and the Radicals.]

[Part IV - Leo and the Latin Americans.]

[Part V - Leo in his own Words.]

***

One of the biggest controversies during the recent conclave was the agreement between the Holy See and China approved by the late Pope Francis. The details of this agreement have never been made public, but it allows the Chinese communist government to nominate bishops. As a result, it legitimizes the schismatic state church with state-appointed bishops that has existed for decades, while seemingly throwing the underground Catholic Church faithful to Rome under the bus.

Dilexi Te -- Leo XIV's first Exhortation

by Roberto de Mattei

October 12, 2025

Leo XIV's first apostolic exhortation, Dilexi te ("I have loved you"), signed on October 4, 2025, and published on October 9, deserves our attention more than some of the pope's interviews, which are sometimes given excessive media coverage. We are faced not with a few words, but with a comprehensive document comprising 121 paragraphs, divided into five chapters plus an introduction. As has been noted, it is not a social encyclical, but an apostolic exhortation. An encyclical is a doctrinal document, while an apostolic exhortation is a pastoral document, which does not define principles, but exhorts us to behave in a certain way.

LEO IN HIS OWN WORDS: THE KEY POINTS OF THE INTERVIEW - Part V in the Series "The First Year of Leo XIV"

This fifth part of our ongoing series dedicated to the First Year of Leo XIV, written by Rorate contributor Serre Verweij, is a little different from the previous ones. It is dedicated to a point by point analysis of Pope Leo XIV's interview to Crux, published as the second part of the book "Leo XIV: Citizen of the World, Missionary of the 21st Century".

Series: The First Year of Leo XIV

V  - LEO IN HIS OWN WORDS

Excerpts from the first real substantial interview of Pope Leo have been published. He gave the honour to Crux Now. The fact that he chose to give the interview to a traditionally centrist (though arguably centre-left) site that had become more centre-right in the last few years, might itself be quite indicative.

LEO AND THE LATIN AMERICANS - Part IV in the Series "The First Year of Leo XIV"

This is the fourth of several analyses written for Rorate by our contributor Serre Verweij on Leo XIV's first year.

Series: The First Year of Leo XIV

IV  - LEO AND THE LATIN AMERICANS

[Part I - Leo and the Germans.]

[Part II - Leo and Synodality.]

[Part III - Leo and the Radicals.]

I warmly greet all the bishops of Latin America and the Caribbean, joined in a collegial spirit to discern together the current challenges to the church in Latin America and to seek, in affective and effective communion, pastoral initiatives that lead to solutions in accordance with the criteria of the Sacred Scripture, Tradition, and the Magisterium.

With these words, Pope Leo XIV began his message to the bishops of the Conference of the Latin American Episcopate (CELAM), on the 70th anniversary of their foundation, at the Rio de Janeiro Conference of 1955. 

LEO AND THE RADICALS - Part III in the Series "The First Year of Leo XIV"

This is the third of several analyses written for Rorate by our contributor Serre Verweij on Leo XIV's first year.

Series: The First Year of Leo XIV

III - Leo and the Radical Modernists

[Part I - Leo and the Germans.]

[Part II - Leo and Synodality.]

There were some rumours during the conclave that Prevost could be a candidate more radical than Parolin. So far, Pope Leo has acted completely the opposite. While extremists on both sides try to frame him as one who will consolidate ‘the revolution begun by Francis’ chances of this are decreasing by the day.

LEO AND SYNODALITY (A Silent Implosion?) - Part II in the Series "The First Year of Leo XIV"

This is the second of several analyses written for Rorate by our contributor Serre Verweij on Leo XIV's first year.

Series: The First Year of Leo XIV

II  - LEO AND SYNODALITY

[Part I: Leo and the Germans]

As Pope Leo XIV is approaching the 100 day mark of his pontificate (today is day 97), more and more decisions are coming out which appear indicative of the course of his papacy. Our new Pope is starting to address difficult dilemmas described in Leo XIV: The First 50 Days -- an Analysis.

In this article we outlined many of the challenges Pope Leo faces, quite a few of which are directly related to Francis’ multiyear synodal project plus other reforms and local projects connected to it. Whether to cancel the ecclesial assembly set for 2028 and the process leading up to it, how to deal with local synods in Italy and Ireland, whether to ensure an adequately orthodox African response to the problem of polygamy, and so on.

So far, Pope Leo appears to have alternated between either ensuring a return to orthodoxy behind the scenes, or punting on liberal reforms, not killing them, but leaving their conclusion uncertain. Key curial appointments by Pope Leo will give a more definitive indication of what shape his pontificate will take. Positive patterns do already seem to be slowly emerging, however. 

The ecclesial assembly and the implementation of synodality

Leo and the Germans

 This is the first of several analyses written for Rorate by our contributor Serre Verweij on Leo XIV's first year.

Series: The First Year of Leo XIV

I  - LEO AND THE GERMANS

by Serre Verweij

for Rorate Caeli

August 1, 2025

While we are waiting for Pope Leo XIV to tip his hand and release his first encyclical, and make his first curial appointments, both sides in the struggle between tradition and modernism keep trying to claim him. The attempts by progressives to claim the Pope as their secret candidate (after the fact) are looking increasingly desperate, however. Specifically, attempts by the German bishops stand out as highly dubious.