By BOB BIRD
I am 73 years old and have lived under eight different popes. I even recall the news of the 1958 conclave.
I was shocked when the first non-Italian pope in 450 years was elected in 1978. I was shocked at the assassination of JFK, RFK and MLK. I was pleasantly shocked by Ronald Reagan’s two landslides. I was shocked at the multiple heretical moves and musings of Pope Francis.
But nothing prepared me for this: an American pope, from the diocese of my own birth, who was not on anyone’s radar screen as papabile. Give the College of Cardinals credit: They can still administer electro-shock treatments to the world.
We are going to likely have undignified insults traded between the White House and the Vatican. I hope Pope Leo will not respond in kind to Trump’s often childish musings. Pope Francis, who was quite practiced at snide and even crude insults, might have done so. But Trump would do better to allow Vice President JD Vance do the talking.
But this is a pope who has done the following:
- Openly criticized America’s efforts to control our own border, which flies in the face of the Church’s own teaching. And it is interference in the domestic politics of a sovereign nation. The Church’s role is to save souls. What about these millions of illegals, who have broken our laws?
- Ousted the most godly and humble bishop in America, Joseph Strickland, after he went “out of bounds” from his Texas diocese to picket the LA Dodgers. If you never heard of this, it is because the mainstream media buried it. Strickland, along with thousands of other Catholics, was protesting a vicious anti-Catholic parody that took place by the “Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence”, an LGBTQ mockfest, in a pre-game ceremony.
- During Covid, Leo approved the use of non-valid confessions over the telephone, despite clear Church teachings against this practice.
- He has been part of Pope Francis’ heretofore unheard of tactic, known as the “synodal magisterium.”
Now Leo’s first immediate gestures might — might — be a harbinger of a change of heart.
- He blessed the people, unlike Pope Francis, who asked the people to bless him.
- He wore the traditional red cape of a newly-chosen pope, the mozetta … unlike Francis.
- He chose the name of a long-suffering and traditionalist pope of the 19th century, Leo XIII.
- He has made strong statements on the sanctity of innocent human life.
There have been surprise conversions in the 267 popes, the most noteworthy being Pope Vigilius. He was an “Insider” currying the favor of Empress Theodora in the 500s. He maneuvered the exile and possible murder of the previous and very humble Pope Silverius, who excommunicated two influential bishops for adhering to the Monophysite heresy, a heresy which stated that Jesus was not fully human. If Theodora used her influence to elevate Vigilius to the papacy, he promised to restore the excommunicated heretic bishops.
So — the Empress got Vigilius into the Shoes of the Fisherman. To restore these bishops would be to endorse a heresy. Catholics — and all current Christian denominations — believe in the “hyperstatic union”: that Jesus is fully God and fully Man. Not a 50-50 thing. Not 90-10. He is 100% God and 100% human. This impossibility is what makes Truth a divine mystery.
Theodora waited. And waited. And waited. She wrote Vigilius, “Our dearest friend and pope” about why he was balking at restoring these Monophysite bishops. His reply of 538 AD, is justly famous:
Far be this from me, Lady Augusta; formerly I spoke wrongly and foolishly, but now I assuredly refuse to restore a man who is a heretic and under anathema. Though unworthy, I am vicar of Blessed Peter the Apostle, as were my predecessors, the most holy Agapetus and Silverius, who condemned him.
There is a church-approved prophesy that came out of, of all places, Akita, Japan in 1973. I have visited the miraculous statue, a wooden and Japanese-looking Virgin Mary, which shed tears. The Japanese respect all religions, and this miracle was broadcast on live television at the time.
“The work of the devil will infiltrate even into the Church in such a way that one will see cardinals opposing cardinals, bishops against bishops. The priests who venerate me will be scorned and opposed by their confreres…churches and altars sacked; the Church will be full of those who accept compromises, and the demon will press many priests and consecrated souls to leave the service of the Lord.
This told accurately what would happen, and thus stands the Biblical test of authentic prophesy.
The news behind this man, Robert Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, is too early. The Catholic Church just made an apparent hairpin turn to the Left. Let me emphasize “apparent”. If Leo wants to really make news, he could restore Bishop Strickland, who certainly was no heretic, but worried about a pope who was flirting with Church dogma like it was his own toy.
If faithful Christians were praying for a good and holy pope, they might have one now. Yet they must now pile on and redouble their prayers. Vigilius is not on the list of saintly popes, but if he made it into Heaven, we can ask him to add his own pleas to the Almighty.
But Peter and Paul are there, and Paul rightly corrected Peter in Galatians 2:11-14. Let us hope that we will have bishops and cardinals who will dare to do the same, if Leo goes the way of his predecessor.
Their fate, however, might become a newly minted word: Strickland-ized.
Bob Bird is former chair of the Alaskan Independence Party and the host of a talk show on KSRM radio, Kenai.
The only things good that I can think of that’s come out of Chitcago is pizza and hotdogs.
Well said, Steve. When I heard that it was an American, my first thought was that this couldn’t be good. I see more stormy seas ahead………..
Just the first of many a snipe that can be expect as the Papacy abandons the bizarre Pauline demigod death cult in favor of the Babylonian rabbinic theology brought to Judah by Hillel and preached by his followers, one of whom became known as Jesus.
Love and compassion; the rest is splitting hairs
Sorry Leo-one-four. I’m a Cubs fan. Purgatory is for White Sox fans.
Mormons get their own planet AND they have a wrestler. Can Leo slip a clause in for the rest of us about that? Jehovah’s Witnesses only have 144,000 that will sit at the Lord’s right hand and I think I’m getting short changed; it needs to be 144,001 at least. I also think that the whole thing about Methodists is out of line. Why should they need a covered dish in order to get into heaven?
I do like the idea of being able to do anything I want and then apologize on Sunday though. That’s righteous. Cooler yet if I could still buy an indulgence locally. Nearly snagged one in front of the new cathedral in Barcelona but I botched that and it’s pretty spendy to go back. Preemptive forgiveness though, man, and my neighbor’s wife is like, wooWOOO!. I’d make a bunch of ’em just like her if I were at the controls. Probably best if Leo never saw that gal. Boooyoyoyooing!
And why the incense and babble? That stuff stinks and I’m pretty sure the Lord wouldn’t like it if he ever slipped into a pew. There is much work to be done, Leo. Hit it.
If Leo’s going to leave a mark he needs to fix some serious stuff first.
Clearly this is a political blog but separation of church and state. It is the way.
“…….Clearly this is a political blog but separation of church and state. It is the way………,”
Yeah, “clearly”. So is your real desire a separation of church from your hearing and seeing?
Several of my friends take comfort in their religious beliefs and I would never wish to deny them whatever comfort that brings.
Blending religion and politics is deemed objectively wrong by many and I share that perspective. You consider it perfectly acceptable I’m guessing… up to the point that someone that believes in a slightly different omniscient being mentions Sharia or another concept that sets off your nutbar detector. I prefer science and have no faith so my nutbar detector settings are a bit more sensitive. Reasonable people would agree that The Church is greatly flawed and horrifically so in many instances. Hitler’s Pope, the Spanish Inquisition, burning heretics, mass coverups of lecherous priests and even the assumption that circumcising young boys is an improvement upon the species (but let Muslims circumcise young girls and somehow it’s an outrage).
Yeah, you’re right. I suppose I’d be ok were I to see and hear less of religion. It certainly doesn’t deserve a place in politics.
Religious groups are like a Moose Lodge that babble odd stuff and pass the hat. Rarely dangerous unless allowed to amass political influence… that would be terrible.
You haven’t been right for a long time, sport. Seek help.
Tammy! Where’s the grace in that remark! My goodness.
Looks like you’ve got something to confess this weekend. I’ll be in the booth waiting, my child.
You are scrumptious indeed!
I am praying for this Pope Leo and his Chicago White Sox.
The White Sox, especially, need our prayers.
An American Pope …… how about that!
An American pope.
A Catholic (former) president.
One proper adjective should matter; the other should not.
MAGA doesn’t like him, they must have made the right decision.
Well that is your fault, Rino, for pigeon holing your mind into thinking you know what makes up MAGA when you really don’t have a clue. You have gaslit yourself into thinking anyone who is different than you is an enemy. That is your flaw and it will destroy you. Sad.
I don’t think you are the enemy, just an incredibly stupid cult member. That is your flaw and it will destroy you. Sad.
Funny how the Pope wants open borders but lives in a city surrounded by a wall so the poor people that purchased their riches can’t steal it back.
If you hate Pope Leo XIV because he is too “liberal”, I have some very bad news for you about Jesus.
Leo XIV isn’t liberal. He is leftist.
They are not the same.
Oh. And Jesus was rather conservative.
.
But I would not expect a commie aethiest to actually read the Gospels and have a clue what they are talking about.
The radical activist Jesus declared us all responsible for our brothers, for our neighbors, even our enemies. His followers created interdependent communities where each was accountable to the other. He was a maker of peace, a turner of cheeks, a lover of all; a homeless, dark-skinned Jewish rabbi, who said that love of wealth would make it almost impossible to really see God or to live well. He preached not about the poor “pulling themselves up by their own bootstraps,” but about the well-off giving up everything so that they could be cared for. In other words, Jesus would be labeled a radical left, woke mobster by so many who claim to come in his name in these days. He would have been the opposition to be exterminated.
Denounce the talmud and praise Jesus christ
You forgot to mention The new pope, has faced criticism for not doing more to encourage his religious order, the Augustinians, to embrace transparency over the decades-long sex abuse crisis.
New boss same as the old boss.
Lost all respect for Mr Bird recently when he voiced support for non-mandatory reporting of child molesters by priests. My reply to his snarky comments won’t make it past Watchmans moderator. Suffice to say his exegesis is poor, his knowledge of behavior patterns of molesters non-existent. The Pope is a figurehead and represents the worst of Christianity…Man made religous bondage that Christ came to nullify. Just a man, like any other, nothing more. Come quickly Lord Jesus
Raised as a protestant. Always fascinated with the Roman Catholic Church. Went to Rome. Saw Saint Peter‘s. Attended service by the Pope It will be what it will be. Not for me to say. Although I will attend Mr. Bird’s opinions for the time being.
RELOCATED
Well Mr. Bird now maybe you understand how some of us feel to see Donald Trump, a heretic of Democracy, elevated to the Presidency.
Good thing the USA isn’t a democracy.
We live in a REPUBLIC.
“Heretics of Democracy” be damned, and rightfully so.
More specifically, we live in a constitutional republic, which is a form of democracy. The “gotcha” nonsense over semantics is hilarious.
I think it is very sad when every decision or event in our world goes through a political filter. As Christians it should go through the “WWJD” filter first – we would all be a lot better off if it did. Less politics. More Jesus.
Bravo
What is a shock is that so many people still believe that God needs a gatekeeper.
Religious politics blah blah blah
Ahhh, more wacky religion stuff.
As a fully recovered Protestant I couldn’t agree more.
Roert Prevost was the chicago archdiocese ‘fixer’ for all things pedopriest. For example he interefered in the criminal investigation of a priest accused of multiple incidents of sexual abuse, sodomy and rape of an underage boy where he worked at the Providence Catholic School of New Lenox, IL.
This man (aka pope leo 14) is the chicago goon squad style top cover of the globalist child sex trafficking industry. This is a serious problem.