An American pope.

And immediately, ideologues are tearing into Pope Leo’s upbringing, teachings, actions, and how close he was or wasn’t to Pope Francis. We want him pigeonholed as quickly as possible so we can give our hot takes and then move on with how we will treat him going forward.

My first question was typical: Cubs or White Sox? (He grew up in Chicago, so come on!)

Others from Chicago were even more demanding: Does he like ketchup on his hot dog?

I spent the morning (the second day of the Conclave) with one window of my browser opened to a live picture of the chimney that would indicate the results of the last vote: black smoke for no election. White smoke for an election. I would keep checking in to see if something had happened.

Then, around 11:00 or so local time, I saw the headline: white smoke. It would take some time, but not long, for the new pope to be announced.

About an hour later, the announcement came… and I was floored when they spoke the name of an American cardinal! An American would be pope!

I am Anglican, but this moment of being able to witness all of this live was incredibly moving!

I listened to his first words as pope and took in the sites of the crowd gathered around St. Peter’s in Rome. And I prayed for him. I prayed for the Roman Catholic Church. I prayed for the Church around the world.

When popes choose their name there is purpose to it. Pope Leo has meaning. Many have looked back to Pope Leo XIII as an example, wondering if Pope Leo XIV would be taking his cues from him. Many speculate on how close Pope Leo will follow Pope Francis.

The pigeon-holing has begun.

I took a look at an encyclical written by Pope Leo XIII. Progressives in the media hale it as the indication of the first pope who brought in the “social gospel.” Conservatives derided it and called this pope “woke” almost immediately.

When did taking up the cause of the poor become “woke”? And why do we allow that to be used in a derogatory way? When did taking up the cause of the poor get relegated to “socialism”?

Again… we like to quickly pigeon-hole people so we can deal with them and move on.

But that encyclical refuses to be pigeon-holed. (Find it HERE)

Four paragraphs in Pope Leo XIII is tearing into socialism and spends several paragraphs explaining the weaknesses of socialism. And he still takes up the cause of the poor.

To deride either pope by using “woke” or “socialist” is simply an error. Especially Pope Leo XIII because he wrote it all out.

To be all excited because this may indicate Pope Leo XIV will be “progressive” is also a mistake. (Especially an hour into his papacy.)

The Church should be prophetic. The Roman Catholic Church in two areas of public theology stand in the prophetic historically: you know where they stand with the poor and with the unborn. One is considered “progressive” and one is considered “conservative.” That is what I call prophetic.

And may we all quit picking one “side” or the other and follow the lead of Christ. Our eyes on HIM… and our hearts praying for his Church.