THE NEW POPE

American in the Vatican? Can only be one reason why…

Cardinal Robert Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, was born in Chicago in 1955 — he is the first American pope. A member of the Augustinian order, he studied mathematics at Villanova and theology in Chicago before earning a canon law degree in Rome. Ordained in 1982, he spent decades as a missionary in Peru, becoming a Peruvian citizen in 2015. He served as bishop of Chiclayo (2015–2023) and led the Vatican’s Dicastery for Bishops (2023–2025). He faced significant criticism for allegedly mishandling clergy sexual abuse cases. In Peru, survivors and advocacy groups, like SNAP, accused him of failing to investigate allegations promptly, allowing accused priests to continue ministry. Similar concerns arose from his time in Chicago, where he reportedly approved a residence for an accused priest near a school.

He is viewed online as a centrist with progressive leanings on social issues, aligning with Pope Francis’ focus on marginalized groups, migrants, and the poor. Supporters praise his humility, pastoral approach, and global experience, especially in Peru, seeing him as a bridge between moderate and progressive factions. Critics highlight his opposition to ordaining women deacons and raise concerns over past handling of clergy abuse cases, with some labeling him too liberal on immigration and climate issues. The tone is mixed, with optimism for his inclusive vision tempered by skepticism from traditionalists.

My question is, “why him?”
In politics, America is the 5,000 lb. gorilla. So, why would the Vatican give America more power by making an American the next Pope? Days ago, when the “experts” where weighing the odds, Prevost was a long shot. What happened to change those odds?

My take is this: Someone suggested Prevost was a great way to offset Trump’s tough love approach to fixing the world’s issues. In short, Prevost is the Vatican’s way of offsetting Trump’s conservative agenda. It’s a strategy to push Catholics away from Trump by suggesting his politics are not in line with the Catholic Church. There is no doubt in my mind about it, and my criticism is as real as it gets for I am a Catholic and former alter boy.

Prevost, although slated as a “centrist” is too liberal to be a centrist. Again, as a Catholic, I am disappointed because I predict we see more of the same lefty rhetoric coming out of the Vatican. It’s the anti-Trump movement spreading its wings. Mark my word, Prevost will be for open borders, and all things liberal. He will clash with Trump and anyone like him. I see this being a continuation of where we have been — but rest easy knowing I am one Catholic who will not listen to any leftist nonsense no matter who spews the words. I will speak more about this tomorrow on the Dennis Michael Lynch Podcast (10amET).

Be sure to check out our sponsor, it’s a great way to learn new things and to help keep our newsletter going. 

ChatGPT at Work: Free Resource Bundle

Power up your productivity with Mindstream's exclusive ChatGPT toolkit, designed for professionals who want to work smarter, not harder.

Your free bundle includes:

• ChatGPT Decision Flowchart

• Advanced Prompt Templates

• 2025 AI Productivity Guide

• Task Automation Framework

• Industry-Specific Use Cases

Join thousands of AI-powered professionals by subscribing to our daily newsletter. Get the complete bundle instantly after signup - no extra steps required.

Click here to download your free bundle

_{Links may lead to websites that pay TeamDML Inc.}