So, an American pope. A first. Now both the world’s most powerful political leader and the world’s most powerful religious leader are both Yankees. Fortunately, the religious guy is a huge improvement over the political guy.

To begin with, he is on the right side of the most important issue of our time. Like his predecessor, he is a strong environmentalist, outspoken about the need to confront climate change, a total contrast to his political counterpart who is busily destroying his country’s climate change efforts.

Also in complete contrast to President Trump, he is an advocate for immigrants. While serving in Peru he showed special concern for the 1.5 million forcibly displaced Venezuelans who are living there; and he has expressed criticism of the U.S. administration’s partnership with El Salvador to imprison undocumented immigrants.

Indeed, he appears to be an advocate generally for those on the margins, highlighting a “loving care for the least and the rejected” in a document produced by Pope Francis.

In fact, he appears to follow Francis fairly closely. He has shared messages opposing the death penalty, supporting vaccination during COVID and offering prayers for the murdered George Floyd. “We need to hear more from leaders in the Church, to reject racism and seek justice,” he has said.

While sharing much of Francis’s liberal philosophy, unfortunately he also shares some of Francis’s conservatism and adds a little of his own. While supporting his predecessors’s efforts to increase women’s participation and visibility in the Vatican, he opposes ordaining them as deacons.

As to the LGBTQ+ community, he may be less tolerant than Francis’s famous “Who am I to judge?” It seems Leo will judge and not favourably, expressing concern about Western culture promoting sympathy for such anti-Gospel practices as homosexuality, abortion and same-sex marriage. Although he seems ambiguous about nonliturgical blessings for same-sex partners, he has also said people should “respect the dignity of each person, including the options that adult persons may have.”

Ironically, this American pope is much at odds with American Catholics. A recent survey by the Pew Research Centre showed that 84 percent of U.S. Catholics say the Church should allow Catholics to use birth control; 83 percent say couples should be allowed to use in vitro fertilization; 68 percent say women should be allowed to become deacons; 63 percent say priests should be allowed to get married; and 59 percent say women should be ordained as priests. A majority also say the Church should be more inclusive even if that means changing some teachings.

It’s unlikely they will be seeing changes along any of those lines any time soon. Nonetheless, with his strong support for the environment and the less fortunate, he should be a force for good in the world.

And the U.S. owes us one. After all, they have just imposed a force for malice on the world. Leo should at least provide a balance to Trump’s barbarism.