In the lead-up to the May 2025 papal conclave, a notable pattern has emerged across legacy and Catholic media outlets: a surge of favorable coverage framing U.S.-born Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as a leading papal contender.

In the span of 36 hours, The New York Times, the National Catholic Reporter, England’s Catholic Herald, Crux, and The Pillar, all run highly positive profiles praising the alleged many virtues of American Cardinal Robert Prevost, former prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, presenting him as a frontrunner papabile. 

This trend, visible in outlets spanning ideological spectrums, draws questions regarding its timing and selective emphasis amid unresolved questions about the cardinal’s handling of clerical misconduct cases.

The Catholic Herald, The Pillar, and Crux highlight Prevost’s administrative experience, including his role as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, where he advised Pope Francis on global bishop appointments. His decades of missionary work in Peru and reputation as a “moderate, balanced figure” are repeatedly cited, with The Pillar noting his “heart of a missionary” and “years of ministerial experience.” The New York Times and The National Catholic Reporter underscore his multilingual skills and perceived diplomatic tact, framing him as a bridge between ideological divides.

Another commonality among the articles is that while acknowledging abuse-related complaints, the pieces often contextualize them defensively.

For example, a significant Chicago case — involving an Agustinian priest placed near a school in 1999 when Prevost was his superior — is described as occurring “before the US bishops adopted new standards in 2002,” with Cardinal Prevost’s approval framed as a “formality.”

Allegations in Peru, where three women accused priests of abuse under his oversight, are countered with claims that Cardinal Prevost “opened an initial canonical investigation” and cooperated with civil authorities. The Pillar and Crux also cast doubt on the credibility of accusers’ legal representation, noting their canon lawyer, Ricardo Coronado, was later defrocked for misconduct.

The media profiles position Cardinal Prevost as a “pragmatic successor” to Pope Francis, allegedly favoring institutional stability over “radical reform.” Crux argues a Cardinal Prevost papacy would maintain Pope Francis’ “substance” but with “more pragmatic, cautious and discreet” leadership, while NCR emphasizes his “interest in dialogue.” 

But the outlets praising Cardinal Prevost have underreported claims from the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests (SNAP), which filed a March 2025 complaint accusing him of failing to investigate abuse cases in Peru. While diocesan officials deny wrongdoing, victims allege no formal investigation occurred under Cardinal Prevost’s tenure, with one stating, “We were never called by any investigator,” as The Pillar itself revealed in a previous story. 

Prevost is among six cardinals flagged by SNAP for alleged abuse mismanagement, but both  Crux and The New York Times quickly dismiss the accusations as mere “revenge” from a disgruntled priest or a “vengeful” disbanded community.  

Questions have also been raised by the fact that outlets like The Catholic Herald and the Reporter rarely align, yet both highlight Cardinal Prevost’s “non-American” demeanor and “administrative competence,” suggesting a broader consensus among Vatican watchers.

No evidence confirms a coordinated campaign, but the thematic overlap across ideologically diverse outlets underscores Cardinal Prevost’s positioning as a compromise candidate, whose perceived managerial competence and “moderate” profile outweighs lingering questions about accountability in abuse cases.