When I heard the new pope’s name I immediately joined many others in researching his past tweets and reading old news stories. But this wasn’t me looking to know the leader of the Church better. This was me feeding my fears. I was merely scrolling for confirmation that we were in trouble.
He said what? About what? He didn’t act?
And then I stopped. I’m not doing this. I’m not doom scrolling for dirt on the new pope.
One of the impacts of Pope Francis is that he took center stage and was the focal point of sooooooooo many arguments between Catholics online and in real life. Pope Francis took center stage. His every utterance was tinder for social media fires.
Quite frankly, I’m exhausted. Truly. I don’t want to fight about the pope. I hope and pray the pope is saintly and doesn’t call me names. I hope and pray he doesn’t obfuscate the Church’s teachings. But I’m not about to get preemptively upset. I’m not going to predict bad things and then rant about them.
I’m only going to rant against actual things.
Look, the Holy Spirit used Pope Francis’ papacy to reawaken the west and it has begun, whether that was because of Francis or despite him I don’t have to know. I’m just thankful it’s happening. I have faith.
That doesn’t mean there won’t be squabbles, battles, and fires along the way. But I’m choosing happiness. For now.
May 12, 2025 at 10:12 am
When Pope Francis was elected and in the following weeks, I was sick and tired of the judging that went on about his papacy. Even though many of the gripes were seemingly legit it still sickened me. So I prayed.
Now the games begin with Pope Leo. As you said you looked in the past news articles just to ‘see’ what he said or did. And you’re right that’s not the way it should be. I may have said or thought one way in the past and do not ascribe to those ideas anymore. We all do it to some extent. With a new Pope we have a new name for him. In this case Leo XIV. As with Simon who became Peter he has a new mission. As Abrahm did when God named him Abraham or Saul to Paul.
Being Pope XIV is not the same as being Bishop Robert Prevost. His mission has changed and it should weigh heavy on him being shepherd of over a billion people. Lets wait, see and pray. Other than prayer, it is now out of our control. Let us trust in the Holy Spirit to inspire Leo for the sake of the whole Church. Remember that NO ONE POPE can destroy the Church. No one but Christ can. There IS no other Church founded by Christ. Do not abandon this ship or we’ll drown.
May 12, 2025 at 5:13 pm
Well said. Something that needed saying.
May 13, 2025 at 10:01 am
Sounds like a plan!!!
I am still in shock that my Pope is an American Midwesterner, like me. Well, not like me – he’s a holy man and a priest/bishop/cardinal/pope. But he’s “one of us”, and that’s a good feeling and something for me to hold onto,
I am very impressed that our good Pope Leo is a scholar, a teacher, a missionary, a man of the people who isn’t afraid to live like those he serves – in poverty, working hard, living in simplicity. And that he is humble, faithful, and that he seems to think before he opens his mouth and writes.
I personally feel he has many of the best qualities of the last few popes. The love of the poor of Pope Francis. The ability to teach clearly to and faithfully while maintaining humility the manners and dignity of a true gentleman of Pope Benedict. And the joyful confidence of his Faith, the spirit of forgiveness and charity, the courage to defend Catholicism in the face of evil, and the spine to stand up to Marxism, Communism, Naziism, and liberation theology and to defend his people of St. John Paul. And the great love of Our Lady of all three.
I believe our good Pope Leo will prove to be a *great* blessing to the Church, leading us to Jesus. And I am thankful he is young enough to have time to make a holy and positive difference for us all.
Just my two cents, Very best blessings to all here!
May 16, 2025 at 1:30 pm
I’d be happy to see the Pope deep-six all the “social teaching” nonsense, and just preach the gospel instead. You know, “Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again”, that sort of thing. Like Jesus’ first followers were commissioned to do. I think it was something like “Go make disciples”, rather than “Go tell the world how it should be arranging its affairs.” Maybe if the popes would start doing what Jesus told them to do, the Church might start getting some of its mojo back.
May 19, 2025 at 2:59 pm
Things may seem rather dark now in the Church but we mustn’t forget that when Arianism raised its ugly head in the early 300’s AD it took hundreds of years to eradicate it, at least in the majority of the Church. What we are experiencing now in our Church is only about 60 to a 100 years of tension and division. I think, from what I’m seeing in Africa, the number of baptisms happening among the young and especially in Europe, that God has not abandon us. Yes, we may still see chaotic times, but I think we are being renewed by God. A penance to go through and repentance. We must always remember that tribulation sows the seeds that make saints.