There's a new pope

[FireDragon76]

The conclave may have been considering that the Catholic Church is losing alot of members in North America to "spiritual but not religious", and in South America, Catholicism is also declining. In fact, if not for immigration, Catholicism would be the fastest declining religion in the United States.

 

[BCP1928]

Pope Leo is an American from Chicago. That is unexpected.

Though he spent much of his life in the Global South, and is thought to be more conservative than Francis.

He's apparently considered a "centrist with progressive tendencies" and was critical of Vance and MAGA even while he was still a Cardinal.

It looks to me like Trump and his Christian pals might have formidable new enemy.

 

[durangodawood]

He's apparently considered a "centrist with progressive tendencies" and was critical of Vance and MAGA even while he was still a Cardinal.

It looks to me like Trump and his Christian pals might have formidable new enemy.

I was thinking that this choice might be a specific rebuke to a new sort of coldness taking heart in America.

 

[FireDragon76]

I was thinking that this choice might be a specific rebuke to a new sort of coldness taking heart in America.

More than likely it's a wider consideration that the US is rapidly dechurching, including from the Roman Catholic Church. Trumpism in many ways is merely a symptom of that.

 

[JSRG]

Whats the meaning of "Leo" here?

Until he tells us, we don't know. Normally a name is chosen because they had admiration for someone who previously had the name, but there were thirteen Pope Leos before this one, and we don't know which one(s) he had in mind (most likely it was Leo I and/or Leo XIII). The last two popes didn't say why they chose their names until their first general audience, so we probably won't know until then.

 

[BCP1928]

I was thinking that this choice might be a specific rebuke to a new sort of coldness taking heart in America.

It's not lost on the Cardinals that General Flynn and his buddies in MAGA wanted to have the Catholic Church declared a domestic terrorist organization. It was also well known as USAID was being dismantled that the biggest single recipient of USAID money was the Roman Catholic Church.

 

[ThatRobGuy]

He seems more towards the center. For example, newadvent.org currently has a list of cardinals on the right side of the page that was made before the conclave, classifying them as Traditional+, Traditional, Centrist, Progressive, and Progressive+ (if they take it off, pull it up on something like archive.org to see it). I wouldn't put total trust into it (Parolin being listed as a Centrist but Turkson as a Progressive seems an odd choice), but at any rate Prevost was put into Centrist, which is echoed by another source I saw that was made before the conclave.

I'm assuming a "centrist" choice was no accident.

Two of the most polarizing topics right now are "woke" and "MAGA", and if they wish to turn around some of the declining membership numbers, they probably didn't want to be perceived as being affiliated with either of those factions.

A nice, safe, midwestern, middle of the road (and hopefully, politically boring) Pope was probably the goal.

 

[durangodawood]

I'm assuming a "centrist" choice was no accident.

Two of the most polarizing topics right now are "woke" and "MAGA", and if they wish to turn around some of the declining membership numbers, they probably didn't want to be perceived as being affiliated with either of those factions.

A nice, safe, midwestern, middle of the road (and hopefully, politically boring) Pope was probably the goal.

The label doesnt mean much when "centrist" could be a midpoint between conservative on churchly matters like theology and women clergy etc, and progressive on regard for the poor, refugees, migrants, the environment, etc.

 

[Michie]

Is Robert Prevost Liberal Or Conservative? Exploring Pope Leo XIV's Political Leanings

The Catholic Church has elected its first American pope. Cardinal Robert Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, is viewed as a centrist, who holds both liberal and conservative positions, as per reports., US News News - Times Now

www.timesnownews.com

 

[BCP1928]

I'm assuming a "centrist" choice was no accident.

Two of the most polarizing topics right now are "woke" and "MAGA", and if they wish to turn around some of the declining membership numbers, they probably didn't want to be perceived as being affiliated with either of those factions.

A nice, safe, midwestern, middle of the road (and hopefully, politically boring) Pope was probably the goal.

From the article that Vambram quoted:

"Pope Leo XIV has consistently emphasized inclusivity and compassion toward marginalized groups, including the poor and migrants."

That is the essence of "woke" and makes him an enemy of MAGA and MAGA supporting Christians even if he wasn't already at odds with the administration.

 

[ThatRobGuy]

From the article that Vambram quoted:

"Pope Leo XIV has consistently emphasized inclusivity and compassion toward marginalized groups, including the poor and migrants."

That is the essence of "woke" and makes him an enemy of MAGA and MAGA supporting Christians even if he wasn't already at odds with the administration.

Per MSNBC

Prevost, 69, is seen as a centrist figure who bridges divides within the church. Like Pope Francis, he has supported marginalized groups and spoken up for migrants and the poor, as reported CBS. But on matters of doctrine, he maintains more traditional positions, such as his opposition to the ordination of women as deacons, a stance that aligns with conservative teachings.

Prevost also made several statements indicating a pro-life position, and an opposition to physician-assisted suicide.

While Pope Francis moved the Church’s relationship with LGBTQ+ people forward, asking early in his tenure, “Who am I to judge?” his successor has indicated he may not be as welcoming.

As a bishop in Peru, Prevost opposed a government plan for teaching about gender in schools. “The promotion of gender ideology is confusing, because it seeks to create genders that don’t exist,” he told local news media.

In an address to bishops reported by The New York Times, Prevost lamented that Western news media and popular culture fostered “sympathy for beliefs and practices that are at odds with the gospel.” He cited the “homosexual lifestyle” and “alternative families comprised of same-sex partners and their adopted children.”


When you boil it down... An American who's fluent in Spanish, and due to cultural ties to Spanish speaking communities, is a little softer on immigration policies than other conservatives, moderate on entitlement spending, and pretty conservative on the other stuff.

In a nutshell, he's basically Jeb Bush.


I should probably hang on to this template, I suspect it'll come in handy over the next couple years...

 

[wing2000]

An American pope feels weird. And the timing in sync with all the Trump/MAGA...

....he's as much Peruvian as American. From his bio, it appears he served in Peru for many years....and he spoke Spanish today, with a Peruvian accent. He's also a citizen of Peru...in addition to the US.

 

[Nithavela]

Whoever it is will have some pretty big white slippers to fill.

Or red ones.

 

[Nithavela]

Not to mention, he’s also relatively young. Pope Francis was 76 when he was elected. I thought it would be someone older. I dunno.

When Francis got elected it was predicted that he'd have a short tenure. Nobody thought he'd live as long as he did.

 

[Nithavela]

Contrast:

 

[Vambram]

Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, O.S.A.

collegeofcardinalsreport.com

Here's a brief bio for the new pope.

 

[Michie]

It sounds like the new Pope is quite the worldly politician! I predict that this world is going to embrace and love him as one of their own!

The world might try to hijack him as they did Pope Francis.

 

[RileyG]

When Francis got elected it was predicted that he'd have a short tenure. Nobody thought he'd live as long as he did.

Eh? He had a good pontificate, in my opinion.

 

[Hvizsgyak]

An American pope feels weird. And the timing in sync with all the Trump/MAGA...

Trump is going to have a handful with this new Pope. Which will be enjoyable to watch.

 

[Hvizsgyak]

Whats the meaning of "Leo" here?

Twofold Pope Leo XIII was a champion of the worker, fair wages, the poor being treated respectfully and with dignity and Leo the Lion. Pope Leo XIV will be a leader and champion for the same causes. That's my take on the name.