The election of Pope Leo XIV is historic in many ways—but what struck me immediately is that he’s the first pope from the Baby Boomer generation. That matters.
This is the generation that marched for civil rights and protested against war. The generation that launched the environmental movement, joined the Peace Corps, and helped build the Jesuit Volunteer Corps. A generation formed by Vatican II and inspired by the idea that faith should move us to action.
It also matters that he chose the name “Leo.” For those of us involved in the work of Catholic Social Teaching, it’s impossible not to think of Pope Leo XIII. His 1891 encyclical, Rerum Novarum, was a bold declaration of the Church’s commitment to the dignity of work and the rights of workers. It laid the foundation for a century of social teaching that has influenced everything from labor policy to nonprofit service.
And it shaped a generation.
Many of today’s Baby Boomers were raised in parishes and schools where that teaching took root. They grew up believing that the Gospel wasn’t just something you heard on Sunday—it was something you lived out. And now, in this third act of life, many are still living it. I see it every day at the Ignatian Volunteer Corps, where people in their 60s, 70s, and even 80s are giving their time, wisdom, and heart to communities in need. They’re not “retired.” They’re reengaged. And they’re doing it with purpose.
What does it mean to have a pope who shares that generational story? It’s too soon to say for sure. But I hope it means this: that the Church will continue to lift up the dignity of work, the call to justice, and the power of service at every stage of life.
Because the world still needs people willing to show up. People who believe they can make a difference. People who know their faith compels them to try.
That sounds a lot like the Baby Boomers I know. And maybe, just maybe, it sounds like our new pope too.