(ZENIT News / Rome, 09.16.2025).- Four months into his pontificate, Pope Leo XIV is already viewed positively by American Catholics, even as most acknowledge that they are still getting to know the man who stepped into the shoes of Francis.
A new Pew Research Center survey reveals that 84 percent of U.S. Catholics hold a favorable impression of Leo, while only 4 percent see him negatively. Yet beneath those headline numbers lies a telling paradox: the majority of the faithful admit they know almost nothing about their new shepherd.
Two-thirds of Catholics surveyed said they know “not much” about Leo, and another quarter confessed to knowing nothing at all. Only a small fraction—7 percent—claimed to know him well. That disconnect underscores the rapid pace of papal transition this year, following the death of Francis in May and Leo’s election soon after.
The survey of nearly 10,000 adults, including about 1,850 Catholics, was conducted between July 8 and August 3. It paints a picture of cautious optimism. More than half of Catholics are unsure how Leo’s leadership will compare with Francis’, while a third expect continuity and a minority predict significant differences.
For many, Leo’s appeal is amplified by the symbolism of his origin. As the first pope born in the United States, he naturally commands attention on American soil. More than a third of U.S. Catholics describe themselves as “very excited” or “extremely excited” about this unprecedented fact, while another 40 percent express moderate enthusiasm. A smaller group, about one in five, say they feel little or no excitement.
Notably, Leo’s early popularity mirrors the reception Francis enjoyed at the beginning of his papacy in 2013, when Pew also recorded an 84 percent approval rating among U.S. Catholics. The difference, however, lies in the political undercurrents shaping Catholic opinion today.
Weekly Mass-goers, as expected, are more favorable toward Leo than Catholics who attend sporadically. Ninety-five percent of regular worshippers say they view him positively, compared with 84 percent of semi-regular attendees and 77 percent of those who rarely or never go to Mass. Still, even among the most devout, knowledge about Leo remains thin.
Politics adds another layer. Catholic Democrats and Republicans both express warm views of Leo, but their perspectives diverge when it comes to his relationship with Francis. Forty-four percent of Catholic Democrats believe Leo’s leadership will resemble his predecessor’s, compared with only 21 percent of Catholic Republicans. Conversely, more Republicans than Democrats say they expect Leo to chart a different course, and they welcome that possibility.
That split reflects tensions that grew during the later years of Francis’ papacy, when Republicans gradually soured on him while Democrats continued to support him strongly. In fact, Leo’s numbers among Republicans are already significantly higher than Francis’ were earlier this year.
For now, Leo remains something of a blank slate for U.S. Catholics—broadly admired, not yet fully understood, and carrying the expectations of a Church still adjusting to the loss of a globally beloved pope. Whether he consolidates that goodwill will depend not only on his decisions in Rome but also on how he engages Catholics who, while favorably disposed, are still learning who he is.
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