Formation for Religious Leadership: A Reflection on the Formation of Pope Leo XIV

Authors

  • Christina R. Zaker

Keywords:

Pope Leo XIV, Formation, Orthokardia, Religious leadership, Reflective practice

Abstract

This article examines how place shaped the formation of Pope Leo XIV by exploring his experiences at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago and as a missionary in Peru. Through interviews with two formative colleagues, the author considers how proximity, reflective practice, and orthokardia—the cultivation of a "right heart"—form religious leaders.

Downloads

Published

2026-04-25

Issue

Vol. 46 No. 46 (2026): HOLY GROUND: PLACE, PRESENCE, AND FORMATION FOR MINISTRY

Section

ARTICLES

License

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

    1. Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.

    1. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.

    1. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).