Search
-
August 26, 2025Matthew Bunson is the author of 56 books. He had written biographies on Pope Leo’s two predecessors, Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis, the main reason I chose to read his book on our new pope instead of one of the several others that have been published on Pope Leo.
Bunson is the vice president and editorial director of EWTN News. He has a good reputation as a Catholic author and journalist.
The author provides an introduction to the election of Pope Leo and the situation of the Catholic Church at this time and a history of what has led up to the Church of today. His biography of Pope Leo is divided into three parts:
1. Pope Leo’s early life and as an Augustinian friar.
2. Pope Leo’s time in Peru as a missionary priest and then as a bishop.
3. Pope Leo’s involvement in Church affairs and his election.
Bunson provides biographical material with commentary of what was historically going on in the Church and where Pope Leo was at the time. He quotes Pope Leo and others throughout the book and provides endnotes.
This book is lively and moves along at a good pace. There are no maps, but there is one black and white illustration of the pope’s coat of arms which has a description with it.
Bunson gives a short history of the Augustinian friars of which Pope Leo is a member and he provides a biography of some famous Augustinian saints, like Saint Augustine of Hippo, his mother, Saint Monica, Saint Thomas of Villanova, and some others of the order. It was reported that the pectoral cross he wore at his appearance on the loggia of Saint Peter’s has relics of these saints.
The author discusses Pope Leo’s ethnicity and his genealogy. Pope Leo’s background is a racial and national mix which is not uncommon in American society. Pope Leo’s family was not wealthy in southern Chicago. His family was devout Catholic, one involved in their local parish activities.
The author notes that the pope’s home parish church is not being used anymore, following a consolidation with others since Catholics decreased in numbers in that area.
Bunson points out that Pope Leo has an interesting life experience of his early days and his religious life to that of being a missionary in Peru. His short time in the curial position he held before he was elected gives him some world knowledge that will be of benefit to him as his pontificate continues. His pontificate could be a long one, since he turns 70 on Sept. 14.
Bunson also points out that the pope is returning to some things that Pope Benedict and his predecessor did, which Pope Francis did not like doing, such as wearing the red mozetta and the stole. At this writing I have noticed Pope Leo has not had his coat of arms embroidered onto his white sash.
Pope Leo, as he has said, chose the name “Leo” to hearken back to Pope Leo XIII and “Rerum Novarum,” which is his encyclical on social justice. Leo XIV wants to emphasize the Church’s social teachings and other teachings of the Church. What this new Leonine papacy will be is anyone’s guess, but it has started off with a bang.
This book is highly recommended to those looking for an exciting and a quick and reliable introduction into Pope Leo XIV and what is in his background and what we can expect in the future from him.
Br. Benet Exton, O.S.B., Saint Gregory's Abbey, Shawnee, is a freelance writer for the Sooner Catholic.
Bunson, Matthew.
“Leo XIV: portrait of the first American pope.”
Irondale, Alabama: EWTN Publishing, Inc., 2025.
137 pages.
ISBN978-1-68278-437-2