Cardinal Gerhard Müller believes the rapid and unexpected election of Pope Leo XIV was not the result of politics, but the clear work of the Holy Spirit—especially given the divisions and diversity within the College of Cardinals.
In an exclusive interview with LifeSiteNews journalist Andreas Wailzer, the former prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith reflected on his experience inside the conclave that elected Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, the American-born prelate who became Pope Leo XIV.
“Despite the predicted partisan fights, it all happened in 24 hours,” Müller said. “That shows that there was a great deal of unanimity, that it was not possible to push a candidate, but that someone who was relatively unknown to the public was elected so quickly.”
Müller emphasized that this speed and consensus cannot be explained in worldly terms. “You can only really understand this if you are a Christian believer and believe in the Holy Spirit, i.e., in the work of grace,” he said, pointing to the deeply spiritual nature of the papal election.
The diversity of the cardinals added another layer of complexity. “After all, the [College of Cardinals] was set up so heterogeneously by the will of Pope Francis that all nations and languages – some of them couldn’t speak Italian or even English – were represented,” Müller explained. “So you have to wonder why this decision was able to emerge so quickly from such a heterogeneous college.”
His answer: “That’s because we think like Catholics; we think about the good of the Church.”
Throughout the interview, Müller cautioned against interpreting Church affairs through the lens of political power. “The Church as a whole, the Gospel, should also be critical of our politicians and lead them beyond the mere exercise of power, opening up a sense of sharpening the conscience that politics is there to promote the common good,” he stated.
Cardinal Müller also addressed the significance of Pope Leo XIV’s American background. According to LifeSiteNews, Müller suggested the new pope may have “a better approach, perhaps also to Trump or to the American administration or to both parties,” as well as to American society at large. Given that U.S. Vice President JD Vance is a practicing Catholic, Müller noted they “have a common Catholic basis in order to recognize the responsibility” of the United States, particularly in light of its global power.
Though he acknowledged a point of potential tension—namely Pope Leo’s previous criticism of Trump and Vance over restrictive immigration policies—Müller suggested that the shared faith could foster dialogue and cooperation.
Looking ahead, Müller expressed hope that Pope Leo XIV would promote greater unity within the Church. He cited the recent restrictions on the Traditional Latin Mass as an example of a divisive issue. “The unity of the Church exists in matters of faith, in the liturgical sacramental life, but not simply in external discipline,” he said. “You also have to be pastorally wise and adapt to the situation and the mentality of the people.”
He added, “I believe that he brings this foresight to the table, that the focus is on what is crucial, but that there are no tensions or divisions on secondary issues.”
As the pontificate of Pope Leo XIV begins, Cardinal Müller’s remarks offer a glimpse into how faith, not strategy, led the Church’s cardinals to an unexpected but unifying choice. The election, he says, is proof that grace still guides the Barque of Peter.
