In the past century and in the current, dictatorial regimes have been very repressive towards Christians in general and Catholics in particular. We can think of the Communist regimes of China and Russia and how they have treated the Church and tried to suppress and subvert her. We know too how religion was treated by Hitler, not only the Jews but many Christians who were opposed to his genocide! We can think of Nicaragua too and how the aging dictator there has treated the Catholic Church.
Pope Leo XIV, thanks be to God, is a peacemaker and has called out the Trump administration for its war mongering and how the current war is killing so many innocent people, born and unborn.
I am glad His Holiness has done so. What is interesting in all of this is that in the Catholic Church, we are seeing both the orthodox and heterodox together condemning Trump’s war mongering policies and some in the administration praying to God that God visit the innocent and guilty with violence, a true blasphemy of the Holy Spirit!
I was quite disappointed in Pope Francis for not confronting President Biden, a practicing Catholic, for his anti-Catholic rhetoric as it concerns his off-the-charts abortion stand, his favoring euthanasia and also his radical LGBTQ advocacy and the sexual multialtion of minors. Pope Francis, in fact, said that President Biden was a good Catholic—scandalous in the eyes of so many Catholic clergy and laity.
God willing, Pope Leo will confront pro-abortion Catholics too, when and if they are elected President. Pope Leo is giving good example by calling out President Trump’s administration in its war mongering policies in the Middle East.
But what Lifesite is reporting is outrageous if true and should concern every Catholic, orthodox or heterodox.
Press the Lifesite title for their full article:
Pentagon tells Pope Leo that the US can ‘do whatever it wants’: report
21 comments:
Father McDonald said..."What is interesting in all of this is that in the Catholic Church, we are seeing both the orthodox and heterodox together condemning Trump’s war mongering policies..."
Father, in line with your above comment is the following yesterday from Mike Lewis:
"Catholics across the spectrum are embracing Pope Leo’s appeals for peace and his rebuke of Trump’s warmongering."
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My recent encounters with my Catholic brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ have confirmed Father McDonald's, as well as Mike Lewis', comments in question.
There are pro-Trump Catholics who have overlooked President Trump's pro-pro-war support.
Nevertheless, I am keen to believe that beyond my recent encounters in question, the majority of Catholics, at least those who assist at Mass regularly, stand with Pope Leo XVI's rejection of President Trump's pro-war policies.
Holy Pope Leo XIV is the universal voice of truth and peace.
Pax.
Mark Thomas
Yes
Why hasn't the Pope condemned the Iranian Government for the slaughter of Iranian protestors, some 30,000 of them?
Why haven’t you condemned President Trump? Are you more MAGA than Catholic?
I adore how "warmonger" is thrown about, all that is missing is "capitalist warmonger" to be straight out of extreme left-wing propaganda machines.
As a veteran, I have worries this another miscalculation on the part of a US administration, with pie in the sky assumptions of popular uprising welcoming American liberators, and a total misread of the resilence and redundancy of what is a theocratic omnipotent religious based police state backed by a fanatical army and intelligence service.
The regime is no doubt a threat to the entire region, exporting terror and bloodshed wherever it reaches, and of enough power to frighten even the Arab states as Iran has moved to dominate the region and succeeded. I believe that have been left alone for too long by everybody, and hence the current difficulty. They have shown they have the technology to launch missiles immense distances, and working feverishly to tip them with nukes, whereupon they'd be able to consolidate their dominance of the region.
My only misgivings are over was US read of the situation and planning of the operation up to the complexity of the task? I sincerely hope the US can pull this out without attacking civilian infrastructure and causing high numbers of civilian deaths and high amounts of suffering.
Negotiating has not worked and will not work with this regime without use of force, period. Everyone has negotiated for years and meanwhile the Iranian regime has grown ever stronger and ever closer to being a terrorististic nation with nuclear arms owning the entire Gulf states region.
Father McDonald, all of a sudden you can't criticize the Pope for failing to be even handed instead of a stooge for the political Left like Francis was? Thank God President Trump is eliminating a threat created by Jimmy Carter and aided and abetted by Obama with his billions in cash to support the evil Iranian Regime. I am not going to criticize the President for doing the job of protecting the American people and its interests. But I sure going to criticize my Pope for HIS failure to condemn the Iranian Regime
TJM, you are entirely correct. Same as the Iranian exported bloodshed now forgotten by all the peace at any price crowd. Father is dead wrong to impute someone is not Catholic who sees this attempt as an attempt to forestall even worse in the future, but, oh, how they'd be crying if Iran made all the calls as to disposition of most oil from the region to China and Russia, or Israel destroyed and all holy sites either destroyed or under Mullah control.
TJM, you condemn FRMJK, constantly and obsessively for being a democrat. You condemn Biden. But you don’t condemn Trump. Are you more MAGA than FRMJK is Democrat? You are not entirely correct about Pope Leo:
Pope Leo XIV has condemned violence in Iran multiple times. Most recently, on April 7, 2026, he issued a pointed condemnation of threats against the Iranian people, specifically calling a threat to destroy the country’s entire civilization "truly unacceptable".
His recent actions and statements regarding Iran include:
Condemnation of Violence: On January 11, 2026, the Pope lamented escalating violence in Tehran during anti-government protests and appealed for an end to the "slaughter of innocents".
Rejection of Unjust War: He has consistently urged world leaders to reject war and search for peace, specifically referring to the conflict in the Middle East as an "unjust war" that "is not resolving anything".
Call for Ceasefire: On April 8, 2026, he welcomed the announcement of a two-week ceasefire in the region as a "sign of living hope" and urged all parties to return to the negotiating table.
Additionally, his predecessor, Pope Francis, had previously broken his silence on Iranian unrest in January 2023, condemning the use of the death penalty against demonstrators.
Father McDonald said..."Pope Francis, in fact, said that President Biden was a good Catholic—scandalous in the eyes of so many Catholic clergy and laity."
Father McDonald, in respectful fashion, I wish to note please that the above is not a "fact."
As you had made clear at that time, Joseph Biden's claim in question had constituted a big "if."
https://southernorderspage.blogspot.com/2021/10/did-pope-francis-actually-say-to.html
-- DID POPE FRANCIS ACTUALLY SAY TO PRESIDENT BIDEN “YOU ARE A GOOD CATHOLIC, CONTINUE RECEIVING HOLY COMMUNION”
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In regard to Mister Biden's claim in question:
Father, as you had made clear then, at best: "Who knows and we may never know."
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In regard to Joseph Biden's claim in question: It is interesting and amazing that the following Pope Francis (requiescat in pace) hater had offered:
TJM said...
"Since Biden has a long history of lying, I would not count on it."
October 30, 2021 at 9:10 AM
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Pax.
Mark Thomas
But MT, did Pope Francis called out Biden’s anti life promotion like Pope Leo is calling out Trump’s war on Iran and by name?
Pope Francis (requiescat in pace) confronted publicly Joseph Biden's anti-life stance:
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FOX NEWS:
-- Pope derides Biden's abortion views, Catholic self-identity as 'incoherence'
"Pope Francis questioned President Biden's conscience on Tuesday in an interview during which he described the commander-in-chief's religious identity and views on abortion as incoherent."
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EWTN News:
-- Pope Francis considers it an ‘incoherence’ that President Biden, a Catholic, supports abortion rights
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National Catholic Register:
-- Pope Francis Considers It an ‘Incoherence’ That President Biden, a Catholic, Supports Abortion Rights
VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis has described it as an “incoherence” that President Joe Biden, a Catholic, is in favor of legal abortion.
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Christian Broadcasting Network:
-- Pope Opposes Biden's 'Incoherent' Pro-Abortion Position...
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Pax.
Mark Thomas
A political analysis: Trump likes to talk a big game, but it seems to have occurred to him too late that it's a threat he couldn't possibly follow through with. Catholics were the hinge of his voting coalition and any military action towards it would be extremely damaging to the administration. Not only for voters but for key judges and officials, including his secretary of state and VP, who may decide to peel.
The administration could have been banking on the Vatican's unpopularity, which is a miscalculation at this point.
This evening Snopes had this to say about the alleged exchange between the Vatican ambassador and senior U.S. defense officials in January:
“The claim that Defense officials at the meeting, including Elbridge Colby, the undersecretary for policy, threatened the Holy See's then-ambassador to the U.S., Cardinal Christophe Pierre, stemmed from an April 6 article published by New York media outlet The Free Press. CBS News head Bari Weiss founded the company, which has been widely described as conservative and pro-Israel, in 2021.
The DOD confirmed in a statement that the meeting took place, but disputed the claims the Free Press article made regarding the Pentagon's alleged threats of military power. Those claims remain unproven, as of this writing. They were based on the reported testimony of anonymous Vatican and U.S. officials, which Snopes cannot independently confirm.
Because Snopes doesn't rely on unattributed or anonymous claims as proof, we have left this claim unrated.”
Trump and Hegseth’s Defense Department clearly cannot be relied on the tell the truth, so their denials mean nothing. Moreover, bullying tactics are hardly news with this Administration. Thankfully, though, neither the Pope nor the Supreme Court nor increasingly countless others are moved by such tactics.
Although we cannot know for sure about the accuracy of these reports, J.D. Vance has now said he will look into them:
https://www.newsweek.com/jd-vance-reacts-report-us-official-issued-threat-vatican-ambassador-11802350
Let’s hope that he acts faithfully and has whatever conversations or takes whatever other steps may seem necessary, if any.
Mark J.
Father McDonald:
Like so many of the MAGA faithful, TJM seems so far gone that he would justify anything Trump does, whatever it might be.
In response to your March 30, 2026 post speculating whether Pope Leo might have had Hegseth’s blasphemous prayer in mind in his Palm Sunday homily, I commented (rather late) as follows and repeat that comment here because it speaks to what I also see as Pope Leo’s even-handedness:
Although Pope Leo may have had Pete Hegseth’s blasphemous prayer in mind, he surely was not singling out Hegseth but addressing everyone who wages war driven by the collective ego of which they are a part and by whatever questionable motivations may additionally be driving their individual egos.
Even if war must sometimes be accepted as a necessary evil, provided the strict conditions of just war theory are satisfied, it nonetheless remains an evil, and realistically atrocities are invariably committed by each side (I speak as the son of an English father and a German mother who met just after the end of World War II and grew up listening to stories of the atrocities committed by both sides in that war).
Speaking prophetically, therefore, Pope Leo reminds everyone that God has provided, in the person of Jesus Christ on the Cross, His ultimate and final answer to all those who claim God is on their side in war. Isn’t it clear, then, that he is speaking to EVERYONE responsible for waging war—Americans, Iranians, Israelis, Hamas, Hezbollah, Russians, and, yes, Ukranians too (even if their own war waging might be just)—when he says “Christ, King of Peace, cries out again from his cross: God is love! Have mercy! Lay down your weapons! Remember that you are brothers and sisters!”?
And even though it is now somewhat dated and might recall, for certain readers, some unfavorable connotations, for many, however, Bob Dylan’s provocative protest song “With God on Our Side” is also prophetic and, despite some arguable quibbles, contains much challenging food for thought:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5y2FuDY6Q4M
Mark J.
And Pope Saint Pius V, of Battle-of-Lepanto-fame, condemned to a hell The Holy League.... Oh wait, didn't he....?
Pope Leo just met with lefty David Axelrod. That will help relations with the US! lol
Obama gave the Iranian terrorists billions money that was undoubtedly used to bolster its terrorist network. In a decent world Obama would be in the slammer for treason
TJM, is your religion MAGA or Catholicism? The pope can and does meet with a variety of sinners and saints and of all political persuasions. Get over it. But if you are just MAGA, I understand.
What a puerile response. I am an American, not a leftwing loon globalist. Is that what you are?
I am a Catholic first and my political affiliation, while independent, is way down the line. I am an American patriot but not a sycophant to any political party or elected official. I am a critical thinker but formed by my Catholic Faith and Church in union with the pope and bishops in union with him. Our world needs to be united in the good things that God expects from us and the purification of the sin and evil things.
Yes, TJM is an American. A right-wing, conspiracy theory believing, MAGA supporting, Trump loving American.
Like so many of his ilk, he believes what he wants to believe, the facts be damned.
Obama did not give terrorists billions. FACTS: https://armscontrolcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Fact-check-iran-deal-1.pdf
K and you and your ilk, are anti-American, leftwing, abortion drooling, child mutilation supporters. Well Senator Fetterman does not agree with you and he is a Democrat!
On Thursday’s broadcast of the Fox News Channel’s “Jesse Watters Primetime,” Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) said that the media are “carrying water for Iran.”
Host Jesse Watters asked, “Senator, do some members of your party think Trump is more dangerous than the Iranians?”
Fetterman answered, “I can’t speak for my other Democrats, but the American media has, essentially, become — carrying water for Iran. And they’re describing the kinds of circumstances, then they forget the way Iran has behaved. And why can’t we just call what Iran has been — and what it continues to do, those things? America is the force of good in the world, and holding Iran accountable, what they’ve done, is important.”
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