Former Holy See ambassador, friend of Leo XIV says new pontiff will be ‘fantastic pope’

Former United States Ambassador to the Holy See Francis Rooney speaks to “EWTN News Nightly” anchor Catherine Hadro on Monday, May 12, 2025. / Credit: EWTN News

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, May 13, 2025 / 14:48 pm (CNA).

Former United States Ambassador to the Holy See Francis Rooney said this week that he believes Pope Leo XIV’s relationship with America will “be very powerful.” 

Speaking to “EWTN News Nightly” anchor Catherine Hadro on Monday, Rooney — also a former U.S. representative — said that Leo will be a “fantastic pope” because he “can communicate with people in a very clear but nonthreatening way.”

“People will hear his message, and he will inspire people,” Rooney said. 

Rooney and the pope became friends when “Father Bob,” as Rooney used to know him, began to join meetings at an Augustinian school of which Rooney was on the board.

“He was always very insightful in his comments,” Rooney said of the pope, born Robert Prevost. 

“He’s not complicated,” Rooney said about Leo, “but he’s super smart.”

Rooney previously lived in Rome while serving as the U.S. ambassador to the Holy See. He held the position from 2005 to 2008, which overlapped with Pope Leo XIV’s time as head of the Augustinian order. 

Rooney said they saw “an awful lot” of each other. 

“He did a great job running the order,” Rooney said. “The Augustinian order hasn’t had many of the problems that some other orders have had … I attribute it to good management, like Father Bob.”

As a former U.S. representative for Florida’s 19th congressional district, Rooney also has a diplomatic view of what an American pope may mean for the Church.

“Human rights and human dignity” are the issues that “need to be at the top of the agenda” if Pope Leo XIV and the United States collaborate, he said.

Pope Leo XIV’s American roots will allow him to “be a bridge builder between Europe, Asia, Latin America, as well as the United States,” Rooney said.  

He “can inspire young people” and “inspire our Hispanic community,” he said, arguing that such efforts can “generate more Catholics.”

An American pope “will stimulate people to be more active in the Church, and maybe some to come back, and maybe some to join up,” Rooney said. 

Pope Leo XIV’s time in Peru and ability to speak Spanish and Portuguese will “enthuse some of our Latin Catholic community, a lot of whom have become Protestants,” Rooney said. “Maybe we’ll get them back.”

“I think that Pope Leo will continue to enthuse young people to consider participation in the Church,” he added.