Somehow it seems like justice that the election of the new Pope dominated the news cycle and blew Trump off the front pages. For me it was a needed tonic to the drumbeat of hate and discord that comes from the Trump camp. More importantly, the historical announcement of an American Pope and its meaning provided a moment, at least, where we just might take the time to think about the folly of our politics and encourage us to be the people we think we are.
The accession of a new Pope always brings out strong emotions. Millions of Roman Catholics (1.4 billion actually) joyfully hold up his election as hope for peace and love among all peoples; Christians of all faiths come together and speak of unity. There are also, of course, the anti-Catholics who continue to harbor centuries-old disagreements with Rome as well as countless people whose secularism prevents them from seeing anything positive in religion. This said, the takeaway for me is more about politics than religion.
Pope Leo XIV’s very presence raises existential questions about the human race and speaks to what is happening in the United States and the larger world. He reminds us that we are free and therefore responsible for our actions. What is happening in the world, the hatred and horrible killings from Ukraine, to Syria, and Gaza go on because we will them, enable them or turn our backs on them. The Pope’s words provide a conscience for our politics and have the potential to influence our secular behavior. It doesn’t matter why we do the right thing, it’s the doing and as such the impetus becomes irrelevant. The Pope promotes universal truths that most people share.
I have no delusions that the current euphoria will result in big changes. The importance of moral concerns in politics and international relations is not impressive.* But just maybe one person will listen. Changing minds begins with one person at a time.
*There’s the famous quote attributed to Stalin who sarcastically asked, “How many divisions does the Pope have?”