"And with your spirit, Pope Leo!"That is the response in the Catholic Mass to the priest-celebrants "Peace be with you" proclamation in the liturgy, which is how the new Pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV, began his public pontificate.Since that moment the new pope has been caught up in a swirl of ritual and pomp, the stuff of centuries of tradition but always new in different ways. The past few days have been marked by a long list of visitors to the Holy See, including this week by Vice President Vance and Secretary of State Rubio and scores of other leaders from around the world.FIRST AMERICAN POPE WELCOMES VANCE AND RUBIO FOR PRIVATE VATICAN AUDIENCEI hope one of his American friends sends along everything written here about Leo to him so he grasps the great desire of American Catholics that he heal the quite deep and very obvious divide between the Vatican and American Catholics.That divide didnt develop overnight but its real and its deep, and for all the quiet optimism Ive heard my co-religionists express in the days since the Conclave elevated the kid from Chicago turned missionary to Peru, there is caution that we not get fooled again. If Pope Leo grants even a few interviews to Catholic and non-Catholic journalists in America, the impact on the Church of a Midwestern accent and the open-handed approach of the Midwest generally would be a balm and an inspiration.Pope Francis, may he rest in peace, did not like America much and most certainly did not care for the generally traditionalist American branch of the "one true and universal Church" as we Catholics like to say. Like all popes, Leos tenure will be an open question until its end. In hierarchical organizations, especially one as set in its ways as the Roman Catholic Church, its very difficult for a pope to know how he is actually regarded in the very different parts of his global faithful. That only surfaces as the next conclave gathers. But it depends very much on these first few weeks and months.Leo is very obviously a man of great Christian faith, very smart and with a deep streak of emotion that is carefully controlled but which displayed itself during a few public moments since "Habemus papam!" was pronounced.It has been reassuring for American Catholics and I hope all Catholics to see how normal our Boomer popes life through his college years had been. Hes been doing many years in the mission field of Peru, which ought to impress on every believer that Leo has the real heart of an evangelist. Sure, Id like to know whats in the album collection of his youth if its sitting somewhere in one of his brothers attics gathering dust, as well as his familiarity with new media in his old country, but thats just curiosity. We know the important thing: He believes Jesus is God and he serves the poor. Those are the key revelations in the wake of his elevation. What I pray is that he reveals even more by what he does in these early days, especially a few things on my personal short list.First, Id like to see him pray in public for Jimmy Lai, the most prominent Catholic political prisoner on the planet, and in a way that conveys the Churchs willingness to try and get along with the Chinese Communist Party which under Xi Jinping has reverted to the old Leninist mode of repression of belief in God and suppression and subversion of all churches in China. Mr. Lai old, ill, in solitary confinement is a symbol, not of political defiance of Xi, but of the persecuted church (small "c") around the world. A quietly delivered but very specific public call for prayers for Mr. Lai would be such an encouragement to his family, friends and millions of strangers who know his story and why he suffers in isolation, denied even the minimum comforts of his sacraments.If Leo were to ask Xi for Mr. Lais release and exile to the United Kingdom or the Vatican, it would be a marker of Leos heart for the political prisoners of the world and an opportunity for General Secretary Xi to reassure the world that there is no need for the "Popes divisions" to think and act towards Xi as they did towards Stalin.A few words from Leo about the hostages in Gaza, approaching 600 days of harrowing captivity, would also right many sins of omission of the Church since 10/7. Diving into the particulars of how peace is restored in Gaza is perhaps not the best move right now, but there wont be peace, as President Trump noted in his remarks to the Gulf Cooperation Council last week, until the hostages are released. Israel will not stop fighting to get them back until they are released. Pope Francis never seemed to grasp this. I pray Leo does and speaks directly to the Arab and Muslim worlds that when Hamas releases the living hostages and the bodies of the dead, his efforts on behalf of the innocents in Gaza will be big and ongoing and that the Church will help with the rebuilding.CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINIONI hope as well for some early appointments of Americans who very much lead the American Church with their words and example, but who were shunted aside by Francis for reasons no one has explained, because there is no explanation that makes sense other than personal dislike for men with whom he disagrees.Elevating three or four of these bishops to the status of Cardinal and bringing some large-hearted Americans to Rome to assist with the long, long overdue reform of the Vatican would bring a great deal of joy and reassurance to, for example, everyone who knows Archbishops Jos Horacio Gmez of Los Angeles and retired Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia. Their efforts to restore the American church in the wake of the abuse scandals were ignored by Francis and deepened attention on the late popes own failing to address the ongoing effects of that scar on the worldwide church. Even a handful of appointments of serious men of deep thought and spiritual maturity as well as demonstrated experience in management would signal to every American Catholic that the new pope is genuinely committed to the internal de-politicization of the Church. So to would be a return to local bishops of full authority over the rites of the Mass their dioceses choose to use.Theres a host of gestures available and for our part, I hope the American Catholic community will answer any call as best they can to help right the Vaticans finances whether or not Leo XIV begins his pontificate with such crucial gestures. The Holy Father is owed traditional Catholic thinking alert respect and deference by every Catholic. If he needs help with the books, we should step up when asked.And, if as I expect, Leo asks of every Catholic participation in evangelization and the support of the poor and the stranger set to wandering because of persecution, we ought to react quickly and fulsomely.No doubt some will urge Leo to go slow. Thats not just "old thinking," thats "very wrong thinking." There is too much amiss in the world for any pope, cardinal, bishop or priest to pause much less vacation. To do as much as he can for as many as he can for as long as he can in the name of the risen Christ is the job of Peters successor. Leo has begun with that never-ending mission in his early days. Pray he continues along this path.Hugh Hewitt is a Fox News contributor, and host of "The Hugh Hewitt Show" heard weekday afternoons 3 PM to 6 PM ET on the Salem Radio Network, and simulcast on Salem News Channel. Hugh wakes up America on over 400 affiliates nationwide, and on all the streaming platforms where SNC can be seen. He is a frequent guest on the Fox News Channels news roundtable hosted by Bret Baier weekdays at 6pm ET. A son of Ohio and a graduate of Harvard College and the University of Michigan Law School, Hewitt has been a Professor of Law at Chapman Universitys Fowler School of Law since 1996 where he teaches Constitutional Law. Hewitt launched his eponymous radio show from Los Angeles in 1990. Hewitt has frequently appeared on every major national news television network, hosted television shows for PBS and MSNBC, written for every major American paper, has authored a dozen books and moderated a score of Republican candidate debates, most recently the November 2023 Republican presidential debate in Miami and four Republican presidential debates in the 2015-16 cycle. Hewitt focuses his radio show and his column on the Constitution, national security, American politics and the Cleveland Browns and Guardians. Hewitt has interviewed tens of thousands of guests from Democrats Hillary Clinton and John Kerry to Republican Presidents George W. Bush and Donald Trump over his 40 years in broadcasting. This column previews the lead story that will drive his radio/tv show today.CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM HUGH HEWITT