Cardinal Tobin offers Seton Hall an inspiring look at two popes

Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R., Archbishop of Newark, recently offered a personal and inspiring perspective on both Pope Francis and Pope Leo XIV. Titled “Pope Leo and the Legacy of Pope Francis,” the Mar. 18 talk was held at Seton Hall University and co-sponsored by Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology, the university’s Catholic Studies Program, and its Catholic Studies Center.

The cardinal came to know Pope Leo when he was Father Prevost, then prior general of the Augustinian Order, and Cardinal Tobin was the superior general of the Redemptorists. In their capacity as heads of religious congregations, they frequently interacted. He also knew Pope Francis prior to his election to the papacy, when Cardinal Tobin’s mother picked him as her candidate (because, as Cardinal Tobin told Francis, he carried his own bags, etc.). Francis enjoyed the comment and would later refer to it. In October 2016, he announced that he would make Archbishop Tobin, then serving in Indianapolis, a cardinal.

Two popes with shared core values

Cardinal Tobin’s talk gave a deep sense of how Francis’s legacy is being carried on by Leo. Though different in personality and in style, the two share the same core values, seeking to bring them to fruition in the church. These values can be summed up as mercy (in connection with evangelization and peace), concern for the environment, and synodality. Cardinal Tobin spoke of how Francis loved mercy, making it part of his papal motto, Miserando atque eligendo (“By having mercy and by choosing him”). The phrase refers to the calling of Matthew, the tax collector, as spoken of by Bede the Venerable in a sermon on Matthew 9:9–13.

Francis’s Evangelii Gaudium returns repeatedly to the concept of mercy, which he saw as central to the Gospel and to evangelization. Cardinal Tobin mentioned how mercy is crucial to the message the church needs to convey to the world, subsuming or, as Jesus put it, fulfilling the Law. We are saved by grace, through God’s mercy, from which and through which God’s love flows. We do not save ourselves. “Mercy was Pope Francis’ fire,” the cardinal said.

Pope Leo has consistently lived out the vision of Francis on mercy, as seen in his focus on world peace and concern for the marginalized, refugees, and migrants. Mercy received must be shared outwardly with those in need and those who suffer. We see this focus strongly in Leo, as we also did in Francis. Cardinal Tobin mentioned, for example, how both Francis and Leo were interested in going to Lampedusa, the island in the Mediterranean where many migrants land on the way to Europe from Africa, and where the surrounding seas have been the site of many migrant deaths by drowning. Pope Francis made it the destination of his first trip, even circumventing the Vatican system of arranging travel to do so. Pope Leo also plans to visit Lampedusa on July 4, showing support for the refugees who are staying there. The cardinal pointed out the significance of the date and the choice.

Pope Francis and Cardinal Tobin

Cardinal Tobin also shared how Leo has continued to emphasize care for the environment as a religious duty, as laid out in Francis’s encyclical Laudato Si: On Care for our Common Home (2015). Leo’s statements (such as asking believers to pray for the conversion of climate deniers) and actions (making parts of the gardens around Castel Gandolfo, the papal summer residence, into areas for ecological protection and training centers) continue his predecessor’s focus on understanding the environment as a gift from a loving Creator that demands our respect and nurturing care.

Cardinal Tobin also mentioned the concept of synodality as a crucial value shared by both popes. He mentioned how involved laypeople were in the 2023-2024 Synod on Synodality and how Francis valued the contributions of all participating members. The cardinal said that, instead of reviewing and deciding whether to confirm the proceedings as is typical, Francis said he did not need to do so, since he was sure the Holy Spirit had been working in the Synod. In fact, as Cardinal Tobin remarked, Francis would say, “No one is saved alone.” Francis died within about six months of the Synod, and synodality remains an important component of his legacy.

In his turn, Leo strongly supports synodality. “The day after he was elected, Pope Leo began by saying synodality is the way forward for the church,” Cardinal Tobin said.

The cardinal cautioned people from judging either pope superficially. He advised avoiding blogs when it comes to understanding any pontiff. “Please read what they actually said,” he strongly advised. “It’s not hard to find.”

Personal insights

Finally, Cardinal Tobin shared personal and loving insights to both Holy Fathers, Francis and Leo. He noted that Francis would rise at 4 a.m., pray for two hours before the Blessed Sacrament, and then say Mass at 6 a.m. As for Leo, the cardinal expressed his belief that prior to the papal election, then-Cardinal Prevost, like the other American Cardinals, thought being an American “was a shield” against being chosen for the papacy.

He also mentioned that Pope Leo’s international background as both a missionary and citizen of Peru, along with his acquaintance with bishops from around the world, have helped him go beyond being limited by one nationality.

The audience was focused and even riveted by the talk. Afterward, several good questions were raised and answered by the cardinal. The event was followed by Mass, celebrated by Cardinal Tobin and concelebrated by many Seton Hall priests and attended by many.

You can watch Cardinal Tobin’s talk below:

Nancy Enright is Professor of English and Director of the University Core at Seton Hall University. This article originally appeared in a longer version on the University Core’s news and events page.

Featured image: Cardinal Tobin addressed the Seton Hall University community on March 18, speaking about the pontificates of Pope Francis and Pope Leo XIV. (Photo by Andrew Misura / Seton Hall University)