How he chooses to bring his own legal acumen to bear on each of these three situations will say a great deal about the early direction of his pontificate.

"What does the pope think about us being related? That's my question," one cousin said. "What does he think of us because we're Afro American?" She plans to write a letter inviting Leo to her home if he ever visits New Orleans.

As Pope Leo XIV delivers a message from the Vatican, Chicago holds a historic mass while national protests target President Trump's military parade.

Abuse experts and survivors express a mix of tentative hopes and low expectations for how Pope Leo might address disciplining abusers, supporting victims and ensuring that the church is a safe environment for all.

Carlo Acutis was 15 when he died in northern Italy in 2006, after a short bout with leukemia. The pope announced Friday he'll be canonized in September.