Some say the new pope, Leo XIV, is a liberal. Others say he’s a conservative. Yet Vice President JD Vance put it best: “It’s very hard to fit a 2,000-year-old institution into the politics of 2025 America.”
Yes, the Vicar of Christ transcends the red-blue partisan rumble. This is true even for the man who is the Church’s first American pope. Still, popes are often called upon to pass judgements on matters that spill into politics.
Such judgments start with the pontifical name the new Keeper of the Keys takes on; the name signals the papal predecessor he most wishes to emulate. In first address to the College of Cardinals, the man born as Robert Prevost explained: “I chose to take the name Leo
Join the conversation!
Please share your thoughts about this article below. We value your opinions, and would love to see you add to the discussion!