Jake Arthurs

With all due respect to the Office of the President, this post contains several claims that are factually inaccurate and theologically misguided, and as a Catholic I feel compelled to respond. 1. The Pope was not elected to please any president. Pope Leo XIV was elected by 133 cardinals from across the world in a sacred conclave, on the fourth ballot, on May 8, 2025.  The Holy Spirit guides the conclave, not American politics. To suggest that “if I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican”  is not only historically ignorant but theologically offensive to every Catholic on earth. 2. He was not an unknown outsider. Pope Leo XIV served as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops under Pope Francis, one of the most powerful roles in the Vatican, responsible for selecting bishops for dioceses worldwide.  He was one of the most qualified candidates in the College of Cardinals. 3. He is deeply rooted in service, not politics. An Augustinian missionary who worked for decades in Peru, Pope Leo XIV dedicated his life to the poor and the Gospel long before any political figure noticed him.  His name honors Leo XIII, the Pope who championed workers’ rights and the poor during the Industrial Revolution, a tradition of Catholic Social Teaching that predates any modern political party. 4. The Pope’s role is prophetic, not partisan. When the Pope speaks on peace, nuclear weapons, immigration, or the dignity of nations, he is fulfilling the mission of Christ, not opposing any government. His first words as Pope were “Peace be with you all,”  echoing the Risen Christ (John 20:19). A Pope who is silent on injustice would be failing his divine mandate. 5. Demanding a Pope “get in line” with a president contradicts 2,000 years of Church history. From St. Peter before Nero, to St. Thomas More before Henry VIII, to John Paul II before Soviet communism, the Church has never existed to validate earthly power. “We must obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5:29) As Catholics, we pray for all leaders, including President Trump. But we stand firmly with our Holy Father. Habemus Papam. And he answers to God alone.