I don't see anyone trying to read Pope Leo XIV through the lens of either St. Pope John Paul II or Pope Benedict XVI. Those who might refer to those two popes aren’t trying to hogtie Pope Leo to either of them.
On the other hand, though, those who can’t get over that Pope Francis is no longer pope with his borderline heterodox vision for the Church, a different Church, are desperate to show that Pope Leo XIV is actually Pope Francis II.
But Pope Leo isn’t Francis II; he’s Pope Leo XIV.
Pope Leo certainly won’t cancel the Francis papacy. He is too refined and savvy to do something like that. Francis was not refined or savvy and thought canceling his previous two papacies was the way to get back to the time St. Pope Paul VI was pope, bringing the Church back to the heady days of the immediate aftermath of Vatican II and its bulldozing spirit in the late 1960’s and throughout the 70’s.
But two things show us that Pope Leo is a pope of continuity with the pre-Vatican II Church and the Post Vatican II Church with the orthodox spirit, not the heterodox spirit.
Pope Leo has embraced the icons of the papacy in terms of dress and demeanor. Pope Francis was iconoclastic in this regard, the zenith being his public visit to St. Peter’s Basilica, while he was dying, in his wheel chair wearing only black pants and a t-shirt.
The second one and the most important, which I almost missed, is what Pope Leo said about marriage compared to Pope Francis. I learned what I missed from a National Catholic Register article:
Another signal (about clarifying Pope Francis) came in his homily on June 1 on the occasion of the Jubilee of Families, Children, Grandparents and the Elderly, when Leo cited the encyclical Humanae Vitae of St. Paul VI in observing “that marriage is not an ideal but the measure of true love between a man and a woman: a love that is total, faithful and fruitful. This love makes you one flesh and enables you, in the image of God, to bestow the gift of life.”
In their simplicity, these words mark a change of direction from the previous pontificate, since in Francis’ contested post-synodal exhortation Amoris Laetitia, Christian marriage was repeatedly cited as an ideal.
My reading of Pope Leo is what I have already written about him. He is a refining Pope. He won’t cancel anyone and he certainly won’t cancel Vatican II. But he won’t cancel the orthodox post-Vatican II orthodox developments of St. Pope John Paul II or Pope Benedict XVI.
He won’t cancel that which is orthodox of Pope Francis’ papacy. But he will, in a sober way, correct the errors of that papacy as we have seen he has in his homily quote above about marriage not being an ideal, whereas Pope Francis called it an ideal.
20 comments:
Numerous Catholic commentators have demonstrated that Popes Leo XIV, as well as Francis, have not contradicted each other in regard to marriage.
Just one example:
-- No, Pope Leo did not just contradict Amoris Laetitia on marriage.
https://henrymatthewalt.substack.com/p/no-pope-leo-did-not-just-contradict?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
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But let us pretend that Pope Leo XIV has contradicted/corrected Pope Francis in regard to the question at hand.
1. The two Popes in question have contradicted each other supposedly.
2. Therefore, how do we know as to which Pope in question to believe?
3. If Pope Leo has determined supposedly that Pope Francis was wrong, and in need of correction...then Pope Leo XIV's successor(s) is free to determine the same in regard to Pope Leo XIV.
4. Pope Francis' supposed false teaching in question was issued via Amoris Laetitia, an act of the Magisterium. In turn, that means that the Magisterium has taught error.
5. Donum Veritatis is a Magisterial document issued by the then-CDF, under Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, via Pope Saint John Paul II's order.
Donum Veritatis assured us that we can determine the authoritativeness of Magisterial interventions via "the nature of the documents, the insistence with which a teaching is repeated, and the very way in which it is expressed."
Pope Leo XIV issued his statement in question via a homily.
Conversely, Pope Francis' teachings in regard to marriage were declared in Magisterial fashion via an Apostolic Exhortation.
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Folks who have insisted that Pope Francis had taught error in regard to marriage would have us to believe that Holy Mother Church's Magisterium had failed.
Pax.
Mark Thomas
By not worshipping Francis and pointing out his flaws you are inviting a host of non sequitur slobber over Francis from you know who!!!
Hey, Biden and Francis had something in common, targeting faithful Catholics!
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2025/06/07/biden_weaponized_law_enforcement_against_catholics_152892.html
I suspect our supine USCCB will do nothing!
Father McDonald said..."Pope Leo has embraced the icons of the papacy in terms of dress and demeanor. Pope Francis was iconoclastic in this regard..."
Pope Leo XVI has embraced certain "icons of the Papacy." There are additional "icons of the Papacy" that, in line with his predecessors, beginning with Pope Saint Paul VI, that he has not embraced.
Father McDonald stated that there are folks "who can’t get over that Pope Francis is no longer pope..."
Well, there are folks who are unable to let Pope Francis go as they are determine to continue their intense criticism of Pope Leo XIV's immediate holy predecessor.
Said folks could learn a lesson from holy Pope Leo XIV, who has heaped endless praise upon Pope Francis. In line with Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, Pope Leo XIV had known Pope Francis well.
In line with Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, Pope Leo XIV has insisted that Pope Francis was a holy, outstanding Pontiff.
I stand with Popes Pope Leo XIV, as well as Emeritus Benedict XVI, who have assured us that Pope Francis was a holy man, and outstanding Roman Pontiff.
Pax.
Mark Thomas
Father McDonald said..."Francis was not refined or savvy and thought canceling his previous two papacies was the way to get back to the time St. Pope Paul VI was pope..."
Let us say that Pope Francis was determined "to get back to the time St. Pope Paul VI was pope..."
Popes Saint John Paul II, Benedict XVI, as well as Leo XIV, heaped praise upon Pope Saint Paul VI. Said Popes portrayed Pope Saint Paul VI as a holy man, as well as first-class Roman Pontiff.
Therefore, Pope Francis was wise to have prized Pope Saint Paul VI.
Pax.
Mark Thomas
MT Suit,
Is praising failure your stock and trade? You really can't read the room. The time of Paul VI was chaotic and pure hell for faithful Catholics. The big loss of the Catholic Faith started under him! Quid vobis videture?
In regard to marriage, Cardinal Sarah insisted that via Amoris Laetitia, Pope Francis had taught in orthodox fashion.
Cardinal Sarah:
“The future of the world and the Church passes through the family.”
"These prophetic words of Saint John Paul II show how the Church, in our time, must, above all, defend and promote the beauty of the Christian family in fidelity to God’s design.
"In his post-synodal Exhortation on the Family, Amoris Lætitia (“The Joy of Love”), Pope Francis states clearly:
“In no way must the Church desist from proposing the full ideal of marriage, God’s plan in all its grandeur … proposing less than what Jesus offers to the human being.”
"This is why the Holy Father openly and vigorously defends Church teaching on contraception, abortion, homosexuality, reproductive technologies, the education of children and much more."
Pax.
Mark Thomas
MT Suit is the Greta Thunberg of this blog!
Father McDonald said..."The second one and the most important, which I almost missed, is what Pope Leo said about marriage compared to Pope Francis. I learned what I missed from a National Catholic Register article:
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The National Catholic Register began...
"Another signal (about clarifying Pope Francis) came in his homily on June 1 on the occasion of the Jubilee of Families, Children, Grandparents and the Elderly..."
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Father McDonald, Pope Leo XIV's "correction/clarification" in regard to Pope Francis' supposed grave "error" in question, promulgated via Amoris Laetitia, was so obscure that it was only through a National Catholic Register article that you first learned of said error?
Pope Leo XIV did not announce any supposed "correction" in question.
The Holy See, via its Dicasteries, as well as Press Office, has failed to announce that Pope Leo XIV "corrected" Pope Francis' supposed grave teaching error in regard to marriage.
Nevertheless, we are supposed to accept as fact the National Catholic Register's opinion that via an obscure line from a homily, Pope Leo XIV "corrected" Pope Francis'/Amoris Laetitia's Magisterial teaching in question?
Pax.
Mark Thomas
Very odd MT, that you are fine with Pope Francis correcting Pope Benedict on DP but not with Pope Leo correcting Pope Francis errors. Very odd and selective.
Father McDonald,
Like I said, MT Suit is the Greta Thunberg of this blog. Maybe he should join her in Gaza!
Father McDonald, Pope Francis did not correct any supposed error in regard to Summorum Pontificum. Pope Francis had praised Pope Bodd MT, that you are fine with Pope Francis correcting Pope Benedict on DP but not with Pope Leo correcting Pope Francis errors. Very odd and selective.
Pope Francis praised Pope Benedict XVI's attempt to secure liturgical peace via Summorum Pontificum. Pope Francis declared:
"An opportunity offered by St. John Paul II and, with even greater magnanimity, by Benedict XVI, intended to recover the unity of an ecclesial body with diverse liturgical sensibilities, was exploited to widen the gaps, reinforce the divergences, and encourage disagreements that injure the Church, block her path, and expose her to the peril of division."
Pope Francis praised Pope Benedict XVI's magnanimousness act in question.
Summorum Pontificum, which is/was Magisterial in nature, was error-free. Just as Amoris Laetitia is/was an act of the Church's error-free Magisterium.
Pope Francis did not "correct" any error within error-free Summorum Pontificum. Pope Leo XIV did not "correct" any error within error-free Amoris Laetitia.
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Pope Benedict XVI acknowledged that serious difficulties could arise in regard to Summorum Pontificum. That indeed was the case with said document.
Pope Benedict XVI:
"Furthermore, I invite you, dear Brothers, to send to the Holy See an account of your experiences, three years after this Motu Proprio has taken effect. If truly serious difficulties come to light, ways to remedy them can be sought."
Bishops relayed to Pope Francis serious difficulties that had surrounded Summorum Pontificum. In turn, Pope Francis issued remedies via Traditionis Custodes.
However, Pope Francis did not blame Pope Benedict XVI/Summorum Pontificum for the difficulties in question.
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I will accept any teaching(s) that Pope Leo XIV may promulgate in regard to Traditionis Custodes. You will not encounter opposition from me. I will not attack His Holiness.
I will not reply with..."How dare the Pope 'attack' Traditionis Custodes! How cruel! How cruel!"
Pax.
Mark Thomas
Pope Leo is physically affirming continuity with Popes JP II and B XVI. He seems to be affirming important Doctrine and teachings opportunistically rather than targeting Pope Francis directly, allowing his clear affirmation to illuminate his predecessor’s statements in a natural light. The fact that he has not so far corrected, clarified, or canceled Pope Francis seems to increase the tension in the air around the supporters of Francis. Pipe Leo is a superb actor by carefully cultivating the attention of his audience with subtle moves and careful speech.
MT Suit,
Have you been drinking?
Father McDonald,
This is pathetic, the Archdiocese of Detroit only ordained 2 priests, one is 67 years old. Yep, the Novus Ordo Church is flourishing and this Archbishop wants to restrict the TLM communities further!
https://www.detroitcatholic.com/news/two-paths-one-heart-archbishop-ordains-new-detroit-priests-frs-bruen-schroder
Father McDonald,
I dig a bit of digging on the young priest, age 26, that was just ordained. He quoted Pope Benedict (not Pope Francis) when speaking of his vocation to the priesthood. He is celebrating one of his first Masses at St. Mary's in Royal Oak, Michigan. Go on their website, gorgeous Church and their choir's Latin musical offerings will blow you away. I think the new Archbishop needs to wake up and smell the coffee about where his future vocations are coming from.
I saw this note about St. Mary's in Royal Oak and their Rorate Mass:
On Friday morning, December 15, the 7:30am Mass will be celebrated at the High Altar in an abundance of candlelight, an Advent tradition, as we prepare to honor the Light of the world, Jesus Christ, the King who comes when morning dawns. The Mass will be accompanied by some beautiful Latin chanting proper to the Advent Rorate Mass."
I still think MT Suit is K with a different moniker. Their pattern of illogic and fake Catholicism is so similar, and the drinking issue!
MT Suit must be having a rough time (as is K) because the Empty Suit pope is gone
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