Australian Catholics welcome ‘approachable’ new pope in hope he will pursue peace

Pope Leo XIV has been welcomed by Australians and Catholic leaders as a potential continuation of cardinal Newman’s legacy of peace and social justice. His name, deeply symbolic for Catholic social services, mirrors Pope Leo XIII, who championed human dignity and justice. Australians’ warm reception marks a hopeful moment for unity in a divided world, while experts see this as a significant renewal for the Church.