Vatican has Elbows Up with Leo XIV

In spite of Trump’s knee-jerk-proud-patriot social media posts, the new American pope will be a thorn in his side starting now.

Consider this tweet from then-Cardinal Prevost reposting an article titled JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn't ask us to rank our love for others. A high ranking Vatican official, a cardinal known to be close to Pope Francis, just flat out publicly agreed J.D. Vance was way off Catholic base—here is our starting point.

Elbows Up in the Sistine Chapel

While no expert on conclaves, my sense is the cardinals wanted to put their Elbows Up. Like the NY State Conference of Bishops said of Trump’s pope picture. “There is nothing clever or funny about this image, Mr. President. We just buried our beloved Pope Francis and the cardinals are about to enter a solemn conclave to elect a new successor of St. Peter. Do not mock us.”

Do not mock us.

There is no ranking to love for now Pope Leo XIV. Trump, Vance and MAGA, however, order things all the time to clarify who to exclude and deport. The cardinals may have discerned that to follow Pope Francis’ vision, the next pope needs to take on the United States government, the single-largest disruptor of Christian love and charity in the world at the moment. What better way than elect a pope from Chicago, who also has lived in South America and has administered large organizations? He does have the political and bureaucratic experience to flex some Vatican muscle to deal with Trump and America’s very conservative catholics.

The choice of Leo brings this point home. While Pope Francis selected his name to emphasize the humility and simplicity of St. Francis, Leo XIII laid out the modern documents for Catholic social teachings. That pope was no fan of capitalism and the exploitation of workers—capitalism should serve people, not the other way around. So as Catherine Pepinster said in The Guardian “If Pope Francis was the People’s Pope, then Leo XIV is all set to be the Workers’ Pope.”

Pope Leo XIV will start to chip the catholic component away from MAGA as it becomes clear to all where the Vatican’s heart is today. MAGA evangelicals only tolerate catholics for expedience, most figure the Catholic Church is evil anyway. While someone like Vance followed a trend for conservatives to join liturgical churches, I doubt he will remain Catholic for the rest of his life. In short order, Leo XIV and the Catholic Church will be just another MAGA political opponent to hit back against and being a catholic will not be fashionable.

Who is next?

First it was Canada. Now the Vatican. So, who will be next to find unity in opposing Trump and his evil twisted unhinged government? And when will the United States, as a people, finally rise up to end the occupation?