The new pope said he would be guided by a key document that his predecessor wrote listing the church’s priorities, including a “loving care for the least and the rejected.”

Every pope brings a distinct vision and agenda for leading the church. Making change is difficult in the Catholic Church, but Francis’ actions might have paved the way.

Many sites associated with past popes’ lives have become museums or holy destinations for the faithful. But Pope Leo XIV’s childhood church in Chicago closed years ago.