The first half of April 2026 has provided a number of examples of the danger of political idolatry in the United States. Events in early April have also reminded us Catholics that our political or national commitments must always be chastened by the claims of the Church.
On Wednesday of Holy Week, a woman claiming to be a Protestant pastor of some sort expressly compared President Donald Trump to Jesus. Speaking in the Oval Office, Paula White-Cain, said to the President:
You were betrayed and arrested and falsely accused. It’s a familiar pattern that our Lord and Savior showed us…. On the third day, He rose, He defeated evil, He conquered death, hell, and the grave. And sir, because of His resurrection, you rose up. Because He was victorious, you were victorious.
She went on to say that God is using Trump to “awaken the church, to harvest the nations” (whatever that means), “and to bring a worldwide revival.” She told the President that he is the “greatest champion of faith” and “no one has paid the price like” him. God told her to tell Trump, White-Cain asserted, “because of [Jesus’] victory you will be victorious in all you put your hands to.”
On Divine Mercy Sunday, the President ran with the theme, posting a meme on his privately held social media platform in which he is portrayed as Jesus laying his hands on a sick or dying person, presumably to seal his entrance into heaven if not heal him. The meme is replete with American political symbols and militaristic images surrounding Trump. Soldiers and fighter planes hover over his head, as do bald eagles, the American flag, and the Statue of Liberty. In the meme, Trump is portrayed as a divine savior. [Editor’s note: Late on April 13th, it was reported that Vice-President JD Vance said the post was meant as “a joke” and it had been removed.]
Also on March 12, the president posted a long rant, attacking Pope Leo for his critiques of any foreign policy that puts war before diplomacy. And the president asserted that Pope Leo only became pope because of, you guessed it, Donald J. Trump. “If I wasn’t in the White house,” the president asserted, “Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican.” Like White-Cain’s Oval Office speech, the meme is, in a word, obscene and blasphemous idolatry.
In theory, we Catholics should be reflexively repulsed by such speech and images. They are not only a very bad take on politics and religion, but injurious to our souls. This is especially the case when the president is a man who invokes—or promotes people who invoke—repulsive comparisons of himself to Jesus. As we approach the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, such spectacles are likely to increase. It’s useful, therefore, to revisit problems related to nationalism, partisanship, and even “patriotism.”
As a threshold matter, at least at the time of its founding, the United States of America was not, properly speaking, a “nation” or “patria.” In what might have been unique in world history, the U.S. was founded on a set of political ideas, flowing from a particular and precise political philosophy. The U.S. is not an organic nation composed of a common ethnicity, linguistic community, racial identity, or any other demographic characteristic. To be an American, therefore, is not to describe ethnic, linguistic, racial, or any other demographic. Rather, to be “American” is to be committed to a set of political ideas. At its founding, the United States became a “state” without a nation.
This is in contrast to virtually every other established nation-state in the world. The typical pattern is for a state to emerge from a nation. For example, the modern German state was established in 1871 by uniting loosely connected federations of ethnic Germans into a formal state. Similarly, in 1861, Victor Emmanuel II became the king of a United Kingdom of Italy, creating a “state” from the disparate Italian ethnic nations in what we now recognize as the modern nation-state of Italy. In both cases, the state emerged from a common ethno-linguistic heritage. The state gives form to the already-existing nation of ethnic and linguistic identity.
The United States, by comparison, was not created by erecting a set of structures to politically unite an organic group of people. Rather, the U.S. was founded on an express set of political ideas. There was no ethnic nation to be united into a state. Rather, a state was created by words, and those words became the American identity. One might argue that the U.S. has become a nation-state over 250 years of living under this idea. The point is arguable, and perhaps even persuasive. But even if that is the case, the “nation” part of the arguably U.S. nation-state is emerging from the political ideas that created the “state” part, not vice versa.
Both styles of forming a united political entity are prone to the danger of idolatry, of course. One need only refer back to my examples of Germany and Italy to see how nationalism can become idolatry. The U.S. is not more prone to confuse transitory politics with eternal truths than any other modern nation-state. But the kind of confusion in the U.S. is perhaps more dangerous because it is more subtle. This is because many people—many Catholics included—hold the political theory of the U.S. founding to be some sort of transcendent, mystic, settled truth to which any other claims of truth are to be submitted and tested.
We Americans tell ourselves that “We hold [certain] truths to be self-evident,” including the “truth” that we are “endowed by [our] Creator with certain unalienable Rights.” If we are defined by collectively holding certain truths as self-evident, how can such truths be tested or judged by other truth claims?
They cannot.
By declaring them to be self-evident, we place these alleged truths outside the possibility of judgment. Rather, they become the non-negotiable starting point of a united political identity, belief in which defines us as America and Americans. Thus, these alleged truths sit in judgment over whatever other claims we hold to be true. If other truth claims are in tension with these “self-evident truths,” those claims must be judged by the central claim of the Declaration of Independence, which claim is itself immune from judgment.
It’s a logical step from saying certain truths are self-evident to saying that a politics that institutes such truths itself has some sort of transcendent or even divine quality. The state that upholds “self-evident” truths is “self-evidently” a state that transcends any rival claim to truth. All other truth claims are subject to the judgment of the self-evident ones upon which the state is founded.
When we perceive that someone is an unqualified champion of these transcendent, unquestionable truths, it is natural for that person to take on the same kind of divinely endorsed identification as the truths themselves. The speaker of prophetic truth is a prophet. While Paula White-Cain uttered this blasphemy expressly, it is implicitly held by many Americans, including many American Catholics. And when that person is already a narcissist, all the pieces fall into place. The U.S. is divinely ordered, and its president is its divinely appointed champion.
This is idolatrous blasphemy, of course. But the temptation toward such idolatry is organic to the very notion that the U.S. is founded on self-evident—read, unquestionable—truths. If we do not see a way to test these “self-evident” truths, we have clearly lost our way. While we might not endorse the blasphemy of the President and Ms. White-Cain, we have embraced the political theory that leads, ineluctably, toward the blasphemy.
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Yes. Enlightenment societies in general are their own ends and don’t answer to anything outside themselves – a closed circuit that only admits religion as a product of itself. It is indeed a problem if United States political culture has no memory of anything but this.
God bless Pope Leo for speaking the truth. No civil society can ever put the Roman Church in its pocket. All societies have to answer to universal principles that the Church teaches with certainty.
“God bless Pope Leo for speaking the truth. No civil society can ever put the Roman Church in its pocket.” The blindness of these remarks is just stunning. What truths has Leo spoken? He, like his predecessor, has placed the Catholic Church right in the pocket of the Chinese Communists. He stated “I cannot comment” about the conviction and imprisonment of Jimmy Lai in China, and he has not said anything about the million Uyghurs in concentration camps of the ghastly organ-harvesting CCP. Leo has said nothing about the 40,000 Iranians gunned down in the streets of Iran, or that regime’s continuing public executions. Leo, like his predecessor, is highly selective in his comments, which are almost invariably directed against Western nations, especially the United States. It is impossible to take him seriously.
Timothy, How do you know the pope hasn’t been in communication with the Chinese about Jimmy Lai and the Uyghurs? Perhaps, he hasn’t mentioned the Iranian deaths because he knows of the US role in the rise of the Ayatollahs. In 1979, on the orders of U.S. General Robert Huyser, the Shah’s army was instructed to fire directly at protestors, resulting in massacres like those in Enqelab Square. Such brutality was not isolated; the regime routinely used force to crush opposition, with American officials encouraging continued violence to maintain control.
The infamous SAVAK intelligence agency, created with help from the CIA and Mossad, became a symbol of terror. There is much more….. It was all too much for the Iranian people at the time.
Can you provide statistics and more informaation about the massacres you mention?
I’d be interested in knowing how it compares to the number of people killed by the Iranian government in 2006.
I fail to see how anything about “the US role in the rise of the Ayatollahs” has anything to do with the fact that the Pope has publicly spoken out about the American actions there in 2026 but hasn’t spoken out about the Chinese government’s actions against Jimmy Lai or the treatment of the Uyghers.
Timothy, How do you know the pope hasn’t been in communication with the Chinese about Jimmy Lai and the Uyghurs? Perhaps, he hasn’t mentioned the Iranian deaths because he knows of the US role in the rise of the Ayatollahs. In 1979, on the orders of U.S. General Robert Huyser, the Shah’s army was instructed to fire directly at protestors, resulting in massacres like those in Enqelab Square. Such brutality was not isolated; the regime routinely used force to crush opposition, with American officials encouraging continued violence to maintain control.
The infamous SAVAK intelligence agency, created with help from the CIA and Mossad, became a symbol of terror. There is much more….. It was all too much for the Iranian people at the time.
“Ultimately authority over the temporal affairs of society is granted to civil officials by God not by governments themselves or by consent of those they govern” according to St. Paul Romans 13:1-7. George Washington believed that he was called by God for a mission. Trump also believes that he was called to be President for a particular mission. Many Saints believed they were called to be saints or to a particular mission. We should pray for Trump that he does the will of God. Maybe he is called for a divine purpose. We are all called to become like Jesus but there is only one God. God often chooses the most unlikely. 1Cor 1:27-29. Look at St. Paul. Whatever happens, God is in control and nothing can happen without him.
Thank you so much, dear Lenora Grimaud.
It is such a joy to recognize a real GOD loving person in The Church.
A refreshing oasis in the current desertification of Catholicism.
Ever in the love of The Lamb; blessings from marty
I thought you did a great job of explaining idolatry and how some people, in my opinion very few, fall into it. I agree and have shuddered many a time at the same points. However, once you said “many Catholics” and “narcissist”, I turned off. Accusing any of us of said blasphemy, which I totally agree with, and then claiming a psychiatric condition of another, is not useful to your thesis. In fact, it detracts from your prior reasoning by way of, basically, name calling.
All the business of Trump being “ordained by God” and other quasi divine statements makes me wonder. Does Trump (who is a cynical politician after all), actually believe this, or is he just having some fun with the supporters who actually believe it? Perhaps this is a cynical sense of humor at work?
Let’s face it William, we’re drawn to strong leaders. Trump, by the vaguities of the Fates, personal ambition, and the confidence that comes from success, conversely success that almost always is the result of that confidence is riding the moment.
Whether he believes in the idolatry, it’s obvious he enjoys it. What he’s brought to the scene is success in championing causes that are sacred to that vast, not entirely decipherable element called the Right. Where you identify idolaters, in some respects correctly. While you correctly identify the dangers, and they are apparent, it can’t be denied that he’s accomplished for basic Catholic, moral Christian belief what was thought a lost cause.
You might contemplate the question, Does God whose intellect is beyond our comprehension free to choose who he wills to accomplish a good end? If you examine the possible it’s not unreasonable to assume that’s the case. Yes. Despite the unmitigated self adulation, incessant, boring boasting during endless tirades. Surely an anomaly. Is he beyond reproach? At times placing the world at risk of conflagration. That is not the case, and reason why Leo XIV even if ineptly addressed senses the danger.
Yes, the “imperfect vessel of God’s will” concept does hold water when applied to appointing conservative judges who overturned Roe, but should not be applied to say tariffs or tax cuts for billionaires. Does God really want Elon Musk paying less taxes?
The adulation is getting tiresome, as is the bombastic rhetoric. Threatening to annihilate a civilization is not helpful. Threatening to annex Canada was not helpful either. Trash talking and bombastic rhetoric belongs to WWE, not the White House. I remember Ronald Reagan, who was firm and tough, but who conducted himself with dignity. Perhaps some emulation of Reagan might be a good idea?
I’m particularly in accord with your second paragraph.
Have any comments on this?
“this was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal …”~~Barack Obama upon winning the Democratic nomination for presidency conveys his thinking of what that means ….for the world, Tuesday, JUNE 03, 2008”
Or Peggy Noonan calling Obama “elegant” or other commenters saying “he’s watching us, watch him” or describing him as having an “incandescent” intellect?
I’m old enough to remember people who had pictures of FDR in their kitchen because they were quite frankly too stupid to understand that he extended the economic misery of the 1930’s with vapid aphorisms and traitorously ignored the February 1941 warning about Pearl Harbor’s vulnerabilities raised by Admiral Richardson-relieving him of command for his due diligence -odd for a former Assistant SecNav. Yet when that amoral wretch finally died-without having informed his VP of the bomb, the left spent decades lionizing him-because he represented the apotheosis of the cult of personality, the arrogation, maintenance and expansion of executive power (EOs 6102 and 9066 especially come to mind) in service to the administrative superstate-which is their golden calf.
I and millions of others of people my age were fed their the hagiographic “Meet John F. Kennedy” by Nancy Bean White. No mention of his familial corruption, extramarital dalliances or drug use.
I’ve seen Barbara Walters fawning over Castro, and Gorbachev being portrayed as a Messianic figure by a fawning leftist press. Popular entertainment praised Nelson Mandela as saintly in the 1980’s. Even a May 13, 1997 article in the NYT “Party Led By Mandela Now Owns Up To Atrocities” failed to dislodge him from adulation.
Now the cancer of political idolatry has metastasized and you are indignant? Clutch your hypocritical pearls elsewhere. Sorry, little glioblastoma-but it started with YOU and YOUR ilk.
I never idolized Obama. Yes, much of the media went nuts with him, mostly because he was black. We should not idolize politicians of either party, but I must still admire Ronald Reagan. Hardly a saint, but by comparison to our recent Presidents, he comes off pretty well.
Regarding FDR, he was before my time, but yes, there was a feeling towards him that was idolatry. His internment of Japanese American citizens was morally wrong, but is overlooked. FDR was a little too cozy with Stalin, but since the Soviets did the dying for us, it perhaps can be justified. If the US and Britain would have to have fought all those German Divisions that were annihilated on the Eastern front, we would have been looking at millions of American dead.
Regarding Trump, the adoration of much of the Religious Right borders on idolatry. Paula White comparing him to Christ is hilarious. Those prattling about him being “God’s annointed” makes you wonder about their sanity. A relative of mine who voted for him, describes him as the “lesser of two evils.” That I can understand, but the idolatry is puzzling, given who he is. It will be interesting to see when the fever breaks, and the idolatry dissipates.
Thank you.
Irish Catholic homes featured a photo of JFK hanging right next to a photo of the Pope.
“Threatening to annex Canada was not helpful either.”
Maybe not, but it was absolutely hilarious. “Governor Justin Trudeau of the Great State of Canada.”
Trump is fascinating in that he garnered enough support by recognizing the deplorables Clinton supposedly was fighting for, and took for granted.
Yet he recognizes his past failures as a clear impediment to entering through the Pearly gates.
Much to consider. Thanks Kenneth
I may be completely wrong but some of Paula White-Cain’s actions and the context around her remind me of Rasputin and his influence over Tsar Nicholas II of Russia. This is me shooting from the hip so don’t take it seriously. Let’s just pray for her and the President.
Donald Trump’s religious/cultural roots are much more Calvinist. I’m not so concerned about Pentecostal influencers. The Pentecostals I know are lovely, welcoming Christians. They have different ways of worship & differing takes on tradition but good people.And easier to be around than some of the Frozen Chosen. I have Calvinist family , God bless them, but it’s a bit off putting.
So it might not be such a bad thing.
We need to focus on the important things right now like the conflict in Iran. Not memes.
I and others in attendance were informed in adult catechesis class conducted at our church, by a relatively newly ordained priest, that since worship involves sacrifice-not merely gathering, praying, singing-Protestant services are not worship, properly understood.
He is a former Protestant, so I think he has boots on the ground knowledge.
Their services may be sincere, and their efforts efficacious-but words have meaning and we should be truthful.
Of course, when you are not around, they might be lamenting your impending eternal damnation. I once happened upon a “water cooler” conversation at work about the mortally ill friend of one the participants which included this “of course he’s an old Catholic, so he’s not saved”. These people weren’t going to call a priest to anoint him, they were going to gather to “lay hands” on him.
I have much experience with Protestants, too. They’re not the enemy.Neither Calvinists, nor Pentecostals. But Pentecostals are a little easier to be around.
Some have more understanding about Catholics & salvation than others.
Dear TPR:
“they were going to gather to ‘lay hands’ on him.”
Just like in Jesus’ Apostle James chapter 5 verse 14.
‘They’ were in good company . . .
All honor to our dear priests in the many good works they do . . .
HOWEVER – there’ll be times when no clergy are available.
How sad, if we know so little of Christ’s Word and are so depauperate of The Holy Spirit that we can’t do what needs to be done . . ?
Have we forgotten: Jesus has made us priests, prophets, & kings
Let’s never be unwilling to take a leaf from authentic Scriptural actions of Protestants and Pentecostals. Recalling that all the good leaves originally came from the Catholic Church . . !
The ideal parish is one where a truly Holy Spirit-anointed priest ignites Holy Spirit-ministry gifts in all of his congregants.
I do know in our small community the other churches bash the Catholics and churches other than their own espc one denomination; even rebaptizing some baptized as Catholic infants,”just in case.”. You may have read my past entry where my Baptist boss bashed the K of C members as drinking too much, even though he used to close down the bars even during the work week. They need to make sure the plank is actually out of their eye before engaging their judgmental mouths.
@mrscracker:
If you are going to be a fishmonger, at least try to have a different catch than red herring. The odor is so acrid and distinct.
I didn’t say they were “the enemy”, I said they may very well harbor a different attitude about you in private than they might be betray to your face. Not everybody is as forthright and unrestrained as I am. I will tell you that I think you have “Savannah Syndrome” right to your face.
@Dr Martin James Rice.
First, please be so kind as to not use the salutation “Dear”. That is reserved for my mother and my wife. Now that we have dispensed with that.
The man in question was Catholic and they should have respected his faith. Instead, they declared him damned for it. If they were merely gathering to pray for an ailing man, that would be fine. As for the shortage of clergy, there was no indication that was a factor in this case, as this was being planned in advance. Instead, they regarded their efforts as a latch-ditch effort to preserve a man from the perdition they SPECIFICALLY attributed to his being an “old Catholic”. Instead the arrogated to themselves the right to declare a man damned and to be the instrument of his salvation. Their motivation wasn’t emulation of Scriptural prescription, but a presumption of their own righteousness and his peril. They would scoff at the idea that a validly ordained and incardinated priest can-acting Persona Christi-absolve sins-yet were quite assured that their improvised ceremony would be efficacious. There’s no amount of charity that can put lipstick on that porcine, sorry.
Dear TPR:
“they were going to gather to ‘lay hands’ on him.”
Just like in Jesus’ Apostle James chapter 5 verse 14.
‘They’ were in good company . . .
All honor to our dear priests in the many good works they do . . .
HOWEVER – there’ll be times when no clergy are available.
How sad, if we know so little of Christ’s Word and are so depauperate of The Holy Spirit that we can’t do what needs to be done . . ?
Have we forgotten: Jesus has made us priests, prophets, & kings . . .
Let’s never be unwilling to take a leaf from authentic Scriptural actions of Protestants and Pentecostals. Recalling that all their good leaves originally came from the Catholic Church . . !
The ideal Catholic parish is one where a truly Holy Spirit-anointed priest ignites Holy Spirit-ministry gifts in all of his congregants.
When my brother was dying in a Catholic hospital his employers and their family gathered around his bed to pray for him. They were born again Protestants. I’m not sure if they lay hands on him but I was very touched to hear about it.
When my husband was terminally ill the only friends who gathered at his bed to pray for him had been brought up in an evangelical church.
I think there’s things we can learn from the example of our separated Christian brethren. God bless them. 🙏
It’s true That President Trump is Idolized blindly by some, but on the other hand, he’s also Idolized by those who blindly hate him. This is just another example of blind hatred.
What has Pope Prevost said publicly about the injustice of Jimmy Lai – a Catholic – languishing in a Chinese gulag jail? CRICKETS!
Trump hasn’t said anything either; he can be counted on to kiss up to Xi, a man who has the unlimited power Trump wishes he could have as president.
I expect better from the clergy.
“It is necessary to suppose that every good Christian is more ready to put a good interpretation on another’s statement than to condemn it as false. If an orthodox construction cannot be put on a proposition, the one who made it should be asked how he understands it. If he is in error, he should be corrected with all kindness. If this does not suffice, all appropriate means should be used to bring him to a correct interpretation, and so to defend the proposition from error.”
St. Ignatius
I never thought of it exactly this way, but what Dr. Craycraft says makes perfect sense. He’s essentially comparing the “self-evident truths” to the “postulates” we learned in geometry– those statements for which we do not require proof because we “just know” that they are true. The question then becomes whether the assertions made make any kind of sense at all; do they actually resonate with our experience? It should be noted, of course, that any system of logic requires some sort of postulates or self-evident truths or else we can’t prove anything and are condemned to the fire and brimstone of circular reasoning.
Pope Leo has denounces various forms of idolatry: the idolatry of power, the idolatry of money and of self. This fits in with what Fr. Hans Zollner, SJ, said about abuse: that it comes from the spirituality of power.
https://wherepeteris.com/the-weakness-of-safeguarding/
Leo does not denounce idolatry of the Vatican. Too bad.
Sr., Pope Leo’s “unarmed peace” proposition is very good and coming from sound reflection. Thank you. They would wish to compare these wars this way and that but the Pope has not called any crusade and there is no Joan of Arc anywhere, etc., etc.
Pope Francis has worn me out. His statements have tested my faith, creating confusion rather than clarity. I trust in Mother Church because I believe it has descended from Jesus to the chair of Peter today. I rely on authority; without it, there is no Church. Pope Leo offered a brief glimmer of hope, but it was quickly dashed. Some say he is a serious man who moves slowly when it comes to taking a stand, especially on matters of Tradition, Doctrine, and Truth. Yet, when it comes to politics or social causes, he’s quick to take off the gloves and jump into a bare-knuckle fight.
My path of faith is often to simply disregard Rome, as it is not where my prayers are directed. I turn instead to the teachers who have endured through time, whose solid foundation nourishes and sustains me. I wish we had a great leader in the pope, but the cardinals have given us something else – twice. Frankly, I don’t have any faith in them because their actions speak so loudly to me.
“God bless Pope Leo for speaking the truth.”
What is suspect here about speaking the truth is that one would expect a Vicar of Christ to not be selective when addressing the crux of the matter, beginning with the fact that if one does not respect and affirm the Sanctity and Dignity of the marital act within The Sacrament of Holy Matrimony and thus respect and affirm God’s intention that we respect the Sanctity and Dignity of every beloved son and daughter from the moment of conception, how can one speak as an authority on what is just when it comes to protecting the Sanctity and Dignity of all human life from from those who desire to cause harm?
Joe Biden’s religious/cultural roots are Catholic, and yet why was the Vatican silent when Joe Biden and his administration, wanted to persecute Faithful Catholics who refused to be part of the atheistic materialistic over population alarmist globalist who wanted to persecute Faithful Catholics for respecting and affirming the Sanctity and Dignity of the marital act within The Sacrament of Holy Matrimony and thus The Sanctity and Dignity of human life from the moment of conception?
Confusion is not of The Holy Ghost, because Divine Truth is consistent.
Acts 20:30 illuminates . . .
As does “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.”– 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 🙏✝️💕🌹
Which stands against this blasphemy of The Holy Ghost:
“If there is a union of a private nature, there is neither a third party, nor is society affected.” – Jorge Bergoglio denying our Call to Holiness in all our relationships as if a “right to privacy” dismisses our Call to Holiness, and be Temples of The Holy Ghost, thus dismisses our Call to authentic Love out of respect for The Sanctity and Dignity of Human Life.
One also needs to caution against idolatry of popes, which americans are tending to under Leo. We saw this happen with supporters of Francis. Leo has also acted problematically in multiple ways, including misrepresenting or not fully presenting Church teaching, while there is much evidence he is acting partly from ideological-political motives.
This piece thus sets up some narratives without examining the truth of the content, e.g., Leo has precisely not criticized all policies/regimes that would put war before diplomacy, but the U.S./Trump specifically, while saying little to nothing about regimes that regularly use force or have widespread human rights violations or regularly use God as a motive for violence (Islam). In fact, Leo just stated in his trip to Algeria that Islam poses no threat to Christian identity and to the West, and such is a false fear of xenophobes. That is factually false, idiotically naive, and sounds right out of a left-wing political playbook; or, is he in favor of the globalist/leftist agenda of deliberately flooding europe with muslim immigrants? (And some European leaders have even admitted such, before someone scoffs at that as conspiracy.) But Leo and co. will have us believe that Trump is the real threat? The description of U.S. policy with Iran in the article also seems to be inaccurate- as though war was the immediate option. It was only after other efforts failed, while “negotiation” has been happening for decades and gotten nowhere. Furthermore, there is the unrealistic notion of diplomacy and dialogue when there are fanatics incapable of such, like the iranian leaders, who only understand force. Is it naivete that makes anyone think you can negotiate with such people? And so what happens when dialogue doesn’t work? Finally, there’s also possible merit in Trump’s claim that Leo was elected because he’s American, and Catholic and secular pundits across the spectrum have previously raised it- that he would be a counter to Trump, quiet the bloc that Francis had believed were his biggest enemies- american conservatives- and also maybe to help bring in financial input from the U.S. And shame on the author for throwing in a veiled Nazi/facist reference.
Many thanks, dear David for this brilliantly objective critique of dear Kenneth Craycraft’s tragically one-sided article.
Like many other naive Catholics, he’s blinded to the-elephant-in-the-room:
E.g. “Leo just stated in his trip to Algeria that Islam poses no threat to Christian identity and to the West, and such is a false fear of xenophobes. That is factually false, idiotically naive, and sounds right out of a left-wing political playbook;”
Here we are again with Bergoglian: “All religions are the same!”
Seemingly in cheerful ignorance of the comprehensively documented evils of the Islamic agenda, cunningly deceitful strategies, and repeated global tactics of murdering their opponents, especially vulnerable Catholics.
We pray for dear PLxiv to have a long life; long enough to find out just how disastrously wrong he has been.
Holy King Jesus Christ please give us Light in this thickening darkness!
Well said!
Many thanks, dear David for this brilliantly objective critique of dear Kenneth Craycraft’s tragically one-sided article.
Like many other naive Catholics, he’s blinded to the-elephant-in-the-room:
E.g. “Leo just stated in his trip to Algeria that Islam poses no threat to Christian identity and to the West, and such is a false fear of xenophobes. That is factually false, idiotically naive, and sounds right out of a left-wing political playbook;”
Here we are again with Bergoglian: “All religions are the same!”
Seemingly in cheerful ignorance of the comprehensively documented evils of the Islamic agenda, cunningly deceitful strategies, and repeated global tactics of murdering their opponents, especially vulnerable Catholics.
We pray for dear PLxiv to have a long life; long enough to find out just how disastrously wrong he has been.
Holy King Jesus Christ please give us Light in this thickening darkness!
There is a new conflict between the Emperor and the Pope.
But, someone should tell the modern emperors, the King of Kings, in peace and love, is superior to them. The King of Kings leaves forever; and His kingdom, contrary to the miserable democratic republican mandates, will have no end. The King of Kings could dethrone any emperor at lightning speed, because like He told Pontius Pilate who, with all the power conferred to him by the Roman empire, was about to sentence Him to death, non est enim potestas nisi a Deo, there is no authority if not from God.
But they decided to challenge God, even to mock Him. Do they know? Deus non irridetur, God cannot be derided. And the American battle among Jews, Protestant Judaizers and Catholics will have ramifications in the whole world. We already know who will win, because we already witnessed something like it. Because we know that, even in the most despairing humiliation, in the most degrading violence Christus imperat, Jesus Christ wins.
Christ reigns. The modern state needs to relearn that. Probably, the time has come.
Protestant Judaizers ?
Yes, he’s referring to certain Protestant evangelicals.
Herod, during The Passion had sent our Lord back to Pilate after having Him dressed as a madman . Lord was silent in front on him – already having foreseen that it would only add to the debts of Herod if He tried to share any truth with him .
https://dsdoconnor.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/the-hours-of-the-passion.pdf
The Holy Father using discretion as to who might be capable of heeding him ; thus , good to see same as an honor and as to the rest, keeping them in prayers for His mercy – the 9th day of Novena ,Lord narrating His sorrow over lukewarm souls,like ‘corpses ‘ –
https://www.thedivinemercy.org/message/devotions/novena/ninthday
We are said to be in times of purification before the reign of Divine Will – humanity becoming more receptive to Holy Spirit operation , whole world said to become Catholic . The recent Popes often indirectly mentioning same , including Pope John Paul 11 – as the ‘spring time ‘ for The Church .
Some of the confusion about statements of the Popes likley due to lack of familiarity with these concepts .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2vt8VnKq9U
Above is a series of good talks, given in 2013 , by a gentle Franciscan priest (RIP) Fr.Robert Young as introduction to this ‘new and divine way of holiness’-
https://queenofthedivinewill.org/new-and-divine-holiness/
More persons world over getting to know these truths to rejoice in our Lord sharing His holiness with us as the answer for the basic hunger to trust that one is loved by an all holy God . The peace same can bring – to trust in the omnipotence of His mercy for the weak humanity as opposed to the idolatry of the delusion of power !
Our Mama , chosen to bring those graces to us was at Fatima – to remind us there is no water tight boundary between many of these issues of nations .
We can hope too that the ‘little nation’ in the midst of all these issues now also would see the God given power of the Queen of Peace which in turn might help all those around them also to see the truth of their brotherhood . Good thing that Pope Leo turned to The Lion of Judah through the Mother in the Rosary as the peace prayer on 4/11/26 .
Mercy !
This is a renewed conflict between the Emperor and the Pope.
But, someone should tell the modern emperors, the King of Kings, in peace and love, is superior to them. The King of Kings leaves forever; and His kingdom, contrary to the miserable democratic republican mandates, will have no end. The King of Kings could dethrone any emperor at lightning speed, because like He told Pontius Pilate who, with all the power conferred to him by the Roman empire, was about to sentence Him to death, non est enim potestas nisi a Deo, there is no authority if not from God.
But they decided to challenge God, even to mock Him. Do they know? Deus non irridetur, God cannot be derided. And the American battle among Jews, Protestant Judaizers and Catholics will have ramifications in the whole world. We already know who will win, because we already witnessed something like it. Because we know that, even in the most despairing humiliation, in the most degrading violence Christus imperat, Jesus Christ wins.
Christ reigns. The modern state needs to relearn that. Probably, the time has come.
Dear Leon – you are right. GOD seems to be showing us the untrustworthy fallibility of even the highest human leaders today.
Maybe this is GOD arranging for a division of ‘sheep’ from ‘goats’.
A division between ‘sheep’ who, by The Holy Spirit, love & obey GOD’s commands & thus experience Jesus & The Father dwelling with them (see John 14:23b). These are able to survive every misguided human leader; in them The Church survives every attack, until King Jesus returns.
The residue are ‘goats’ who have tried to relate to GOD via faulty human leaders, who do not teach them the importance of loving & obeying GOD’s commandments. Leaders and their followers who lack Holy Spirit anointing and direction and, in sad fact, do not really know Christ or The Father.
This is an eternal separation . . . . . . .
So, let us: “Seek The LORD personally, whilst we still have time!”
That some Catholics would still choose to defend Trump over fidelity to their own faith is astounding yet not surprising. MAGA is, like all cults, difficult to leave. However, it is still shocking that Trump can act so egregiously, so badly, so counter to the teaching of the Church, and the response of some of his Catholic supporters is, ‘Yeah, but what about…’ Pope Leo merely preached the Gospel of Christ and the settled teachings of the Church. That’s inconvenient for many and makes them feel uncomfortable. Too bad. Trump typically responded in his gross and blasphemous manner, his huge yet shallow ego unable to stand being corrected. The fact is Trump is not a friend of Catholics or the Church. Hegseth banned Catholics from attending Good Friday services at the Pentagon. Funding has been withdrawn from Catholic charities. Evangelical nationalists aligned with Trump have spoken openly about banning Catholic forms of worship and deny Catholicism is even Christian. And now he has the likes of Vance, a converted Catholic who seems to be finding his faith rather politically inconvenient, demean himself to the level that he has the toe curling audacity to lecture Pope Leo on theology. Trump’s is a godless regime and he would have himself replace God and all worship him instead.
Mr. Loughran;
1) “Hegseth banned Catholics from attending Good Friday services at the Pentagon.”
2) “Evangelical nationalists aligned with Trump have spoken openly about banning Catholic forms of worship and deny Catholicism is even Christian.”
1) Your source?
2) Who, when. and where and – your source?
“MAGA is, like all cults, difficult to leave.”
And yet the interwebs are filled with departures and stories of how Trump is losing support after failing to pursue Epstein and preserve peace and prosperity.
Compare that with the constant promotion of Biden as cognitively unimpaired, despite the constant public episodes of aphasia. Then a weekend coup, the installation of a replacement without a vote of replacement candidate and all the cultists were suddenly enlighted about the loss of his faculties.
Trump expressed themes that were once de riguer for candidates while the left pursued unlimited invasion, transgenderism. That’s why he developed a devoted base that you call a cult. Now that he’s abandoning those things, he’s losing his following.
Dear Mark Loughran – one might hypothesise you don’t like President Trump!
As for lecturing Pope Leo xiv on theology. Is this not a pressing necessity?
Someone needs to mail him copies (large print) of ‘The New Testament’ and of ‘The Catechism of the Catholic Church’.
Ever in the love of King Jesus Christ; blessings from marty
Acts 20:30 illuminates.
Many thanks, dear David for this brilliantly objective critique of dear Kenneth Craycraft’s tragically one-sided article.
Like many other naive Catholics, he’s blinded to the-elephant-in-the-room:
E.g. “Leo just stated in his trip to Algeria that Islam poses no threat to Christian identity and to the West, and such is a false fear of xenophobes. That is factually false, idiotically naive, and sounds right out of a left-wing political playbook;”
Here we are again with Bergoglian: “All religions are the same!”
Seemingly in cheerful ignorance of the comprehensively documented evils of the Islamic agenda, cunningly deceitful strategies, and repeated global tactics of murdering their opponents, especially vulnerable Catholics.
We pray for dear PLxiv to have a long life; long enough to find out just how disastrously wrong he has been.
Holy King Jesus Christ please give us Light in this thickening darkness!
Dear Leon – you are right. GOD seems to be showing us the untrustworthy fallibility of even the highest human leaders today.
Maybe this is GOD arranging for a division of ‘sheep’ from ‘goats’.
A division between ‘sheep’ who, by The Holy Spirit, love & obey GOD’s commands & thus experience Jesus & The Father dwelling with them (see John 14:23b). These are able to survive every misguided human leader; in them The Church survives every attack, until King Jesus returns.
The residue are ‘goats’ who have tried to relate to GOD via faulty human leaders, who do not teach them the importance of loving & obeying GOD’s commandments. Leaders and their followers who lack Holy Spirit anointing and direction and, in sad fact, do not really know Christ or The Father.
This is an eternal separation . . . . . . .
So, let us: “Seek The LORD personally, whilst we still have time!”
IMO The President is doing a good job overall, but there are several things he needs to work on.
1) Lose the hats – ALL OF THEM!!
2) There are many times when the BEST thing to do is to – STFU. He should recognize them.
3) The meme of him as Jesus – Disgusting, inexcusable, blasphemous, offensive, and that’s just for starters. Vance claims it was a ‘joke’ – my B.S. detector is off the charts at that one.
4) He drives the democrats nuts – TDS, he knows it, and he does it frequently to keep his ‘base’ happy. With the mid-terms looming, that is NOT a good idea – tone it down Mr. P.
5) He is a bit of a bully, which I don’t care for.
6) Try acting ‘presidential’ ever now and then.
That being said – My tax return this year was a 29% increase from last year, and he is correct in asserting that Iran can NEVER have nuclear weapons.
Never ever.
I agree Mr Terence.
“We Americans tell ourselves that “We hold [certain] truths to be self-evident,” including the “truth” that we are “endowed by [our] Creator with certain unalienable Rights.” If we are defined by collectively holding certain truths as self-evident, how can such truths be tested or judged by other truth claims?”
The exact meaning of “life,” “liberty,” and “happiness” can be discussed. Endowed by their Creator with the right to life – but they can throw away that right by their own actions, so that someone who stops a person who is in the process of committing murder by shooting him has not deprived him of his right. “Liberty” doesn’t mean absolute license to do whatever one wants. “Happiness” isn’t much easier to define than Love is – does love mean giddy fluffy euphoric feelings about a person, or does it mean willing that person good? Does Happiness mean constant pleasure?
So it is easy to test those claims against other truth claims.
Nice comment, dear Leslie.
This came to mind –
LIBERTY: my day-by-day, concrete experience of having been freed by Jesus Christ from the old man who used to be subject to the flesh, world, & devil.
LIFE: deeply, thankfully understanding that in Christ Jesus I’m new-born as an eternal child of GOD; whose life in this world is but a sigh.
HAPPINESS: by the help of The Holy Spirit, being amazed how no circumstance – no matter how terrible – is able to destroy by joy in King Jesus.
AMBITION: to invite & help as many people as are willing, from everywhere in our world, to have this same Life, Liberty, & Happiness. As is so well sung by Taya, this amazing vocalist, in this awesome video clip –
https://www.bing.com/search?q=Come+into+the+light+taya+youtube&cvid=9eefe45cf7ba47e6a63eea4d72980271&gs_lcrp=EgRlZGdlKgYIABBFGDkyBggAEEUYOTIGCAEQABhAMgYIAhAAGEAyBggDEAAYQDIGCAQQABhA0gEJMjEwMTlqMGo0qAIIsAIB&FORM=ANAB01&PC=HCTS
Taya – Come Into The Light – Youtube
Hoping you like it and make good use of it. In Jesus always; from marty