Leo’s predecessor, Pope Francis, was a hit with many young people, with a style that put aside pre-prepared speeches to engage in a back and forth with big crowds and who took tough questions from them about loss of faith, abortion and sexual abuse.

Catholic educator Father Michael Tidd praises Pope Leo XIV's authentic approach to connecting with young people following Rome's massive faith gathering over the weekend.

Pope Leo XIV’s prayer intention for the month of August is for mutual coexistence. In a video released July 29, the Holy Father asked the faithful to pray “that societies where coexistence seems more difficult might not succumb to the temptation of confrontation for ethnic, political, religious, or ideological reasons.”