Visiting Author Christopher White on Pope Leo XIV and the New Papacy
Fr. Hugh Crean & Mary Dooley Lecture:
Christopher White
“From Missionary Priest to Missionary Pope: Inside the Election of the First U.S. Pope”
“In my mind, there’s been no more exciting — or surprising — news story — over the last year than the election of a pope from the United States.
I very much look forward to the opportunity to visit Elms College and the chance to pull back a curtain a bit to help explore the dynamics of the conclave that elected Pope Leo XIV and what his historic papacy might mean for both our church and our country.” – Author Christopher White
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Christopher White is the associate director for strategic initiatives and senior fellow of the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life at Georgetown University. He is the author of the book Pope Leo XIV: Inside the Conclave and the Dawn of a New Papacy (2025). Chris is the former Vatican correspondent and national correspondent for National Catholic Reporter and a former reporter for Crux. His work has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, the Washington Post, among many other print and online publications. He has regularly appeared on television and radio programs, including CNN, NPR, NBC, and BBC and as a Vatican analyst for NBC and MSNBC. He is a graduate of Fordham University and The King’s College.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
The election of Pope Leo XIV signals a defining moment for the Catholic Church. As he steps onto the world stage, the first pontiff ever to hail from the United States inherits the throne of St. Peter, the legacy of Pope Francis, and the challenges of a rapidly changing Church.
In Pope Leo XIV, veteran Vatican correspondent Christopher White delivers an authoritative account of the conclave that shaped this momentous transition, the forces that propelled Pope Leo XIV to the papacy, and the vision he brings to the Church’s future. Drawing on exclusive reporting and expert analysis, White examines the potential impact of Pope Leo XIV’s leadership on Catholicism’s governance, doctrine, and engagement with pressing global issues. He also explores how the vision of Pope Francis’s successor may shape the Church’s role in contemporary society amid unprecedented uncertainty and change. Timely and insightful, with sharp analysis, personal experience, and vivid storytelling, Pope Leo XIV offers an essential look at the past, present, and future of a papacy that exerts a major influence on 1.4 billion Catholics and the world itself.
Book available through The Elms College bookstore, which can be reached at bookstore@elms.edu