(RNS) — Simply hours after Pope Leo XIV was introduced from the loggia, his two brothers started making headlines. John Prevost, the center brother, took an agonizingly very long time to reply Leo’s first papal name, as documented by The Related Press. Then the eldest brother, Louis Prevost, appeared on Piers Morgan’s present to debate his incendiary Fb posts.
And on Wednesday (Might 21), Louis Prevost once more obtained social media chattering after Margo Martin, U.S. President Donald Trump’s particular assistant and communications adviser, posted a photograph of Louis Prevost and his spouse assembly with President Trump and Vice President JD Vance.
Within the days after Leo’s election, his eldest brother’s previous posts supporting Trump obtained media consideration, not just for Louis Prevost’s allegiance to MAGA, but in addition for content material that included slurs and conspiracy theories. And, whereas neither the pope’s nor his older brother’s social media posts are actually publicly accessible, Leo’s social media revealed that in his final posts earlier than turning into pope he reposted sharp criticisms of the Trump administration’s immigration coverage.
This glimpse right into a doubtlessly divided household has stirred hypothesis and sympathy from the broader watching world.
“ I do suppose God gave us a bit little bit of a present in simply displaying us this regular household on the worldwide stage,” stated Kathryn Jean Lopez, faith editor on the Nationwide Evaluate. “ I don’t care what your politics are. The 2 brothers humanize (Leo) in ways in which you can not script.”
Whereas Catholic consultants advised RNS that Louis’ connections with Trump are unlikely to make a big political affect within the church or the federal government, they expressed hope that the pope’s relationship along with his brother could assist U.S. Catholics be taught to raised love one another regardless of political variations.
Lopez stated latest popes have been handled like a “public enemy” or a “savior-like determine” and questioned if his brothers may assist Leo escape both portrayal.
When a younger Robert Prevost was turning into ordained to be a priest, his brother Louis was serving within the Navy. The elder Prevost has stated he was at all times extra conflict-oriented than his little brother.
Nichole Flores, affiliate professor of non secular research on the College of Virginia, stated that having “profoundly completely different” siblings is a relatable expertise and echoed that Leo’s brothers make him appear “regular.”
But in addition, stated Jason King, director of the Middle for Catholic Research at St. Mary’s College in San Antonio, inside the pope’s household, “ you’ve obtained this division actually within the residence that we’re dealing with as a rustic, numerous different nations are dealing with, that generally the church is dealing with.”
Vanessa Corcoran, a historian and advising dean at Georgetown College, believes that for Leo, who could also be shaping as much as launch main educating on synthetic intelligence, “ it’s becoming that he’s somebody that, like many people, is studying easy methods to construct bridges with folks whose political beliefs, social media presence is completely different from our personal.”
Corcoran highlighted that the deal with the pope’s siblings is “uncommon” for the trendy papacy as a result of many latest popes have been older than the 69-year-old Leo and haven’t had many dwelling siblings. Additionally they haven’t been on social media.
Pope Leo XIV meets members of the worldwide media within the Paul VI Corridor on the Vatican, Monday, Might 12, 2025. (AP Picture/Andrew Medichini)
Neither are there good historic comparisons for the pope’s siblings assembly heads of state.
The Medici and the Borgia households, distinguished throughout the Italian Renaissance, produced 4 and two popes, respectively. However these households had “political affect from the bigger household actually by bankrolling the Vatican,” stated Corcoran of the rich patrons, well-known for supporting artists like Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo and Raphael.
“ We’re not seeing monetary affect like that,” stated Corcoran. “We don’t have these household dynasties that affect papal politics in the identical manner.”
Whereas Flores stated it was attainable some conservative Catholics discovered affirmation in Louis Prevost’s assembly with Trump, and King, of St. Mary’s College, speculated the Trump camp may be utilizing the second to painting a closeness to the pope, the entire consultants dismissed the thought his oldest brother may form Leo’s relationship with Trump.
For King, Leo’s relationship along with his brother is an efficient place to look at for the pope’s unity agenda.
“ If the pope is ready to discover a approach to each say that sort of language and that sort of assaults on different people’ dignity, that’s not allowable, however then discover some approach to keep in relationship with Louis,” stated King, “that might be a constructive signal.”
He’s additionally hoping Leo will push the U.S. bishops to unify their nation’s church and converse in opposition to the Trump administration’s divisive angle towards “ weak human beings.”
Flores, an professional on democracy and theology, stated it is a second the place many various camps of Catholics have aspirations for Leo. Some are hoping he’ll push the U.S. church towards a extra strong embrace of social educating and away from the concept immigration coverage is a query of “prudential judgment.” Others hope he’ll unify the church round “the dignity of life” and permit Latin liturgies to flourish.
How Leo will meet or disappoint these expectations is but to be seen, however Flores stated she hoped watching Leo work together along with his brothers will assist the church “ proceed to mirror on the broader social significance of households.” The scholar defined, “ Households aren’t socially remoted models that operate within the personal sphere.”
And Lopez, from the Nationwide Evaluate, added, “ We’ve had such a tough time in america lately in the case of politics and private relationships, and I simply hope the Prevosts make us be human once more and simply love each other within the midst of political variations.”
