The Pope Is Waiting to Choose His Collaborators

On May 13, 2025, an almost unnoticed anecdote marked the first days of Leo XIV's pontificate. As he took possession of the pulpit of St. John Lateran, a Peruvian priest, Bernardito Gil, vicar general of the former Bishop of Chiclayo (Peru), found himself seated beside the new Roman Pontiff in the Popemobile. For recall that the Pope, formerly Bishop Robert Francis Prevost, was the former bishop of Chiclayo.

Coming to Rome to greet his former mentor, Fr. Gil illustrates Leo XIV's deep connection with Peru. This relationship is not limited to personal nostalgia: it could shape the team the new Pontiff will assemble to govern the Church. But who will be on this team, and how will Leo XIV approach the complex challenges of his pontificate?

Pope Leo XIV has appointed Fr. Egdard Rimaycuna, originally from the Diocese of Chiclayo, as his secretary. The Roman Pontiff's new cook also comes from Peru. And during his first appearance in the loggia of St. Peter's Basilica, Leo XIV chose to speak in Spanish, a nod to this region of the world that profoundly shaped him. He choose this tongue rather than English, the language of his native country.

But this connection with Peru reveals only part of Leo XIV's intentions regarding his team. The challenges ahead—reforming the Curia, managing international relations, and easing tensions within the Church—require a team faithful to the vision of the new Vatican host. In other words, the true construction of his ecclesiastical government will take place in Rome.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State, is expected to retain his position, at least in the short term, as is Archbishop Paul Gallagher, responsible for relations with states. However, appointments are expected. The first concerns the Dicastery for Bishops, whose prefect was the new Pope. 

Archbishop Edgard Pena Parra, substitute Secretary of State, could be replaced by a figure who is closer to the sensibilities of Leo XIV. Among the names mentioned is Archbishop Petar Rajic, Apostolic Nuncio in Italy and a Canadian of Croatian origin. It should be noted that the temporary confirmation of the prefects includes the secretaries of the dicasteries, leaving open the possibility of their replacement.

The diplomatic calendar is also busy. The Pope must appoint new nuncios, notably to the United States and Syria. “His real challenge may be reforming the Ecclesiastical Academy, the school of nuncios, so that it once again becomes an institution capable of producing high-quality diplomats.” Such a reform, following the revisions under Francis, would signal a desire to restore the institution's luster.

Another issue concerns the Sino-Vatican agreement. While China is currently pushing to make this agreement permanent and public,—according to Andrea Gagliarducci, a columnist for ACI Stampa—Leo XIV, supported by the Asian cardinals, could choose to delay, thus signaling his desire to control the pace of negotiations.

The liturgy will also be one of the hot topics expected to occupy the new Pope. Following the tribulations brought about by the motu proprio Traditionis Custodes and the role Cardinal Arthur Roche played in it, the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments is expected to receive a new prefect.

As an Augustinian monk, Leo XIV could also rely on his order to fill certain positions, particularly in the episcopate. The name of Msgr. Luis Marin de San Martín, Undersecretary of the Synod, is circulating in the press, but his appointment to such a high-profile position seems unlikely. Peter's successor could also draw on the pool of nuncios or prelates with international experience, thus ensuring a team that is both diverse and faithful to his vision.

In any case, the future of Leo XIV's pontificate rests on his choices to lay the foundations of a true ecclesial government, one that can return to the Tradition of the Church, or at least begin this return, far from the errors born of the last council. And the greatest difficulty that awaits him, if he wants to go in this direction, will be to find men capable of doing it.