Milan, May 13 (LaPresse) – “Was Prevost elected as a counter to Trump? No, because Leo XIV will be in office longer than him,” said Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, Archbishop of Luxembourg and General Rapporteur of the Synod of Bishops, in an interview with La Stampa.
He emphasized: “The Pope will continue along that path, perhaps with some adjustments. He will keep preaching a Church open to all” and will also “continue to promote women by assigning them leadership roles.”
His stance against war, Hollerich stressed, is “strong and necessary. War is not a game. People die every day.”
Speaking of the Conclave that elected Pope Robert Prevost, now Leo XIV, the cardinal described it as marked by “prayer, mutual respect, and a sincere search for the good of the Church.” The swift decision, he added, showed “there was clarity on what was needed at this historical moment.”
Prevost was chosen for “his balance, spirituality, pastoral competence, and deep roots in the path set by Pope Francis—though with his own distinct personality.”
“Yes, he is American and Peruvian. But thinking a Pope is elected to counterbalance a political figure is absurd. The papacy is a far deeper and more universal role. We did not vote for a barrier against Trump. And besides, Trump may stay in office for four years—Leo XIV, in theory, much longer.”