The Two Popes

This year the Catholic Church has seen two rare and historical events that gripped world attention: the funeral of one pope and the election of his successor. Professor Sean Theriault, who teaches a course on the Catholic Church at UT Austin and is writing a book about Pope Francis, will join us in this pop-up course to discuss Pope Francis’s legacy and the path that lies ahead for the new Pope, Leo XIV.

The only ordinary thing about Francis’s papacy was its duration. While serving an average length of time, Pope Francis left an extraordinary legacy with numerous differences from his predecessors in the people he promoted, the policies he discussed, the trips that he took, and the warmth of his relationship to the people.

Pope Leo XIV has the difficult task of succeeding a global superstar, but he met the first few moments of his papacy with a serenity that captured his flock, especially the American Church. Professor Theriault will analyze Leo’s initial appearances and actions as pope to provide us with insights on the kind of papacy that seems to be unfolding.