{"id":2753,"date":"2026-05-08T17:03:09","date_gmt":"2026-05-08T17:03:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=2753"},"modified":"2026-05-08T17:03:09","modified_gmt":"2026-05-08T17:03:09","slug":"a-year-in-whats-on-pope-leo-xivs-to-do-list-and-what-has-he-done-so-far","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=2753","title":{"rendered":"A year in, what\u2019s on Pope Leo XIV\u2019s to-do list? And what has he done so far?"},"content":{"rendered":"

By NICOLE WINFIELD<\/strong><\/p>\n

VATICAN CITY (AP) \u2014 Unlike Pope Francis, who shook things up early on with a flurry of reforms, appointments and new structures, Pope Leo XIV has sought to find his footing and take a longer view of his pontificate.<\/p>

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Leo has made some significant decisions so far, and has several challenges looming.<\/p>\n

5 key appointments<\/h4>\n

Several upcoming appointments in the U.S. and at the Vatican will give Leo an opportunity to shape the church\u2019s hierarchy and central governance more to his liking and priorities.<\/p>\n

Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich turned 77 in March, two years over the normal retirement age for bishops, meaning Leo could soon name an archbishop for his hometown.<\/p>\n

In December, Los Angeles Archbishop Jos\u00e9 Gomez turns 75, giving Leo a chance to name a new leader for the largest U.S. archdiocese.<\/p>\n

He already has named Archbishop Ronald Hicks to replace retiring Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, but that appointment \u201cdidn\u2019t ideologically code dramatically one way or the other \u2026 in keeping with Leo\u2019s overall kind of approach to a lot of these decisions,\u201d said Michael Moreland, professor of law and religion at Leo\u2019s alma mater, Villanova University.<\/p>\n

At the Vatican, British Cardinal Arthur Roche turned 76 and heads the liturgy office, which was responsible for enforcing Francis\u2019 controversial crackdown on the old Latin Mass. Roche\u2019s eventual successor will be scrutinized to see how Leo might address the divisive issue.<\/p>

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Another Vatican heavyweight is American Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who at 78 is well beyond retirement age but still heads its family and laity office. He also serves as the camerlengo, who oversaw the conclave that elected Leo, and the most sensitive Holy See committees that are responsible for financial investments and the city state\u2019s highest court of appeal.<\/p>\n

Canadian Cardinal Michael Czerny\u2019s 80th birthday in July will not only make him the oldest Vatican prefect -\u2013 he heads the Vatican\u2019s office for migrants, the environment and development \u2014 but also will exclude him from voting in the next conclave. <\/p>\n

That will reduce the number of voting-age cardinals to 117, below the threshold of 120 that is the usual cap for the number of cardinals under 80 who can vote. That suggests Leo could in the next year announce his first class of new cardinals to choose his successor.<\/p>\n