What Will Pope Leo Say About Education?

What Will Pope Leo Say About Education?
Pope Leo XIV delivers the Regina Caeli prayer after a Holy Mass for the beginning of his pontificate, in St Peter's Square, Vatican City, on May 18, 2025. Alberto Pizzoli/AFP via Getty Images
John Hilton-O’Brien
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Commentary

When the white smoke cleared and the name “Leo XIV” was announced, most commentators missed the point. They speculated about political balance, factionalism, and the American angle. But the real clue is the name. By choosing Leo, the new Pope placed himself in a part of Catholic tradition—notably represented by Pope Leo XIII—that insists the family, not the state, is the basic unit of society.

John Hilton-O’Brien
John Hilton-O’Brien
Author
John Hilton-O’Brien is the executive director of Parents for Choice in Education.