Pope Leo XIV: Culture Wars are Reality Wars
The appointment of Pope Leo XIV was greeted with immediate speculation about his political leanings.
Is he a leftie?
Perhaps he’s a conservative.
Does anyone know his view on immigration? Will he advocate for open borders? Aside from at the Vatican, of course.
Will he fly a gay flag? Does he have a position on marginal tax rates? Was he ever registered as a Republican? Has he ever sucked from a single-use plastic straw?
Of Politics and Popes
You’d think the American, formerly known as Robert Prevost, had been chosen to lead a political party rather than the Catholic Church.
Not everyone was happy to see Pope Leo replace Francis. Democrats were hoping the conclave would elect a trans woman of colour.
Maybe next time.
Donald Trump, naturally, will claim he is Making Popes Great Again, with Pope Leo the first American to lead the Catholic Church.
One person told the New York Post…
Trump did a quid pro quo with the Vatican… “You elect an American Pope… we’ll give you the best trade deal.”
Really?
Others argue Pope Leo was selected as a counterweight to Orange Man Bad.
One person prayed…
“Dear Pope, please save us and the world from Trump and his disciples.”
Another observed…
He sounded like a Christian, which rules out Trump and MAGA.
And, naturally, there were numerous people accusing Pope Leo – whom they had not heard of until five minutes ago – of being a puppet of the Deep State. Whatever that is.
Pope Leo XIV
So what do we know of Pope Leo XIV?
I found a 2012 address he gave to bishops in Peru were the government was wanting to add gender ideology to the school curriculum.
Cardinal Prevost, as he was then, told Church leaders…
“The promotion of gender ideology is confusing, because it seeks to create genders that don’t exist.”
He went on to lament that Western news media and popular culture fostered “sympathy for beliefs and practices that are at odds with the gospel.”
Culture Wars are Reality Wars
Many people advise political and church leaders to do whatever they can to avoid the so-called “culture wars” which I think are more accurately “reality wars”.
The culture war is really an argument over what is real and what is not.
Is gender a fixed biological reality? Or is it plasticine that can be moulded this way or that to suit our personal whims?
Are nations real things, designed by God, with meaning and purpose? Does God have anything to say about the nation state? What is the purpose of a nation with sovereign borders?
Or is globalisation desirable and inevitable?
I don’t think arguments like those are ones that leaders can afford to sit out.
The Church is not about being left wing or right wing but, rather, about being faithful to Jesus who is the Way, the Truth and the Life.
Perhaps, in Pope Leo, we may have a leader who advocates for reality over the unreality promoted by popular culture and political elites, without fear or favour.
___
Republished with thanks to The James Macpherson Report.
Subscribe to his Substack here for daily witty commentary.
Image via Wikimedia Commons.
One Comment
Leave A Comment
Recent Articles:
11 June 2026
2.6 MINS
This year’s Church and State Australian Summit (CAS) kicks off on Friday in Brisbane with a line-up like no other including Senators Pauline Hanson and Malcolm Roberts, Robbie Katter MP and former New Ager and social media celebrity Jamie Zhu.
11 June 2026
2.2 MINS
On 13 June 2026, the Body of Christ will converge on the Blacktown Showgrounds for a day of worship, prayer, and activation. Marking the 420th anniversary of the declaration of Australia as the “Great South Land of the Holy Spirit”, Pentecost 26: Australia Arise is a strategic gathering designed to unify the church and launch a decade of harvest.
11 June 2026
7.8 MINS
Despite millions in funding, some Northern Territory town camps remain decrepit, dangerous places filled with rubbish — and little appears to be changing. Where is the money going?
11 June 2026
1.5 MINS
A part of the 250th anniversary celebrations, U.S. Catholic bishops are organising a national consecration of the United States to the Sacred Heart of Jesus on June 11, 2026. This prayer service in all Catholic Dioceses will entrust America to Christ’s love, mercy, and lordship.
11 June 2026
6.4 MINS
The Southern Poverty Law Center told donors it was fighting extremism and racism. But the US Justice Department now alleges it illegally funnelled millions to fund the KKK, cross burnings, and neo-Nazi recruitment — the very movements it publicly condemned.
10 June 2026
3 MINS
A parenting guide booklet published by the Victorian State Government lists “praying with your child for them to stop being LGBTQA” among actions that “can harm your child” — placing Christian prayer alongside punishment and psychological pressure as practices families should avoid.
10 June 2026
4 MINS
Police deliver the most unfortunate line after a Belfast man is nearly beheaded in the street. The attacker, granted asylum in 2023, shouted "Allah Akbar" in harrowing footage posted on social media.
Pope Leo xiv has my vote !Pope Francis was the darling of the Leftist Media and Elites , etc. He came to the priesthood in middle age after he had tried other jobs but could not make a living any other way because he had the disability of only one lung.The Jesuit Orderof the last 50 years is nothing like what it’s Founder , Saint Francis Loyola, invisaged!It is a Far Left organisation .
Contrast this with the sincere devotion to serve God all his life of teenage Robert Provost who joined the priesthood as soon as he was able and went to be a missionary for 20 years amongst the Poor of South America !I love his smile. He has a great sense of humour .To me the most important thing in politics is Freedom of Speech because when it is outlawed we are on the road to both Left or Right Tyranny !
Pope Leo chose “Freedom of Speech “for his FIRST Address to an audience of Journalists. He does not want them tortured, jailed or killed for speaking the Truth, nor does he condone Lies to please the World’s Elites and deceive us or to manipulate elections.
Only time will tell what he will be like , but, already he has said that we must follow Biblical Teachingsand that there are only Male or Female !.So, will the World’s Elites assassinate him with a fake Heart Attack ? Rumour was that the little Venetian Pope John Paul 1 was murdered within a month of becoming Pope as he was investigating the Papacy’s Finances involving MasonicLodge P2 , Calvifound hanging underLondon Bridge + a secretary ‘s “suicide “from a window , etc . Personally , I think Pope John Paul 1 ‘s death was natural as he looked very frail .
Anything is possible in this Evil World.If any harm comes to Pope Leo we know who to blame –the UN, WEF , etc .God bless him and keep him safe !