“Normality is returning”: Archbishop Gänswein reflects on Pope Leo's pontificate

Archbishop Georg Gänswein has offered his first public reflections on the new pontificate of Pope Leo XIV, praising what he described as a renewed sense of “normality” within the life of the Church and inside the Vatican itself.

In an interview with EWTN this week, the longtime personal secretary to Pope Benedict XVI said he sees signs of growing “stability and serenity” in the early months of Pope Leo’s papacy. The German archbishop, who served as Prefect of the Papal Household under both Benedict and Francis, has kept a lower profile in recent years. His comments mark one of the first major assessments from a former Curial insider since Pope Leo’s election last year.

“Normality is returning,” Gänswein told EWTN’s Vatican bureau. “Not just in the Vatican but also in the universal Church.” He described the new Holy Father’s approach as one of “quiet firmness”, rooted in tradition but attentive to present needs.

Pope Leo XIV has so far shown a preference for a quieter style of governance—eschewing many of the more dramatic gestures that characterised parts of his predecessor’s pontificate. He has placed renewed emphasis on the sacraments, the liturgy, and pastoral closeness to both priests and families. In his Christmas homily, he spoke movingly about restoring confidence in the Church as “a house of grace, not confusion.”

Archbishop Gänswein’s remarks suggest that many inside the Vatican see the new papacy as an opportunity for consolidation after years of turbulence and division. Without directly criticising previous policies, he noted that Leo XIV “has a deep sense of continuity, not rupture”, and that this is already bringing “a fresh confidence” to the Roman Curia.

Though he did not indicate whether he would take on new responsibilities under the current pontificate, Gänswein expressed full support for Pope Leo and called on Catholics to “pray, trust, and walk with the Holy Father.”

“It is not about personalities,” he added. “It is about the unity of the Church and the clarity of her mission.”

For Catholics hoping for a more grounded and spiritually focused leadership, Gänswein’s tone will come as a welcome signal. Whether the promise of “normality” holds in the long term remains to be seen. But for now, the atmosphere in Rome appears marked by renewed calm—and perhaps even quiet hope.