A reader has responded to Jonathan Freedland's recent column comparing Pope Leo XIV and Donald Trump, offering both praise for the pontiff and a critical observation about his recent remarks. Freedland had argued that in a contest between a former property developer turned politician and the Vicar of Christ, there is only ever going to be one winner.
Pope's Intellect and Sophistication
The reader, Francis Bown of London, acknowledges that the present pope is an intelligent and sophisticated Augustinian, well versed in dealing with subtle and complex disputes within the Catholic church. He notes that crude attacks from Donald Trump and JD Vance hold no terrors for such a figure. Trump's greetings-card picture of himself as a Christ-like healer was childish and self-defeating, while Vance's pointed gift of volumes of Saint Augustine's writings, as if the pontiff were unfamiliar with their contents, was simply crass.
Not All Pronouncements Are Infallible
Nevertheless, Bown cautions that not all papal pronouncements are infallible. Pope Leo did open himself to legitimate criticism when he declared in his Palm Sunday address: 'He [Jesus] does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them.' In the context of the Iran conflict, we know what he meant, but the bald statement invites misunderstanding. It appears at odds with the concept of a just war – the conditions for which are laid out in the catechism of the Catholic church (paragraph 2309). The pope's remark would hardly apply to the petitions of those who waged war against the Nazis and who liberated the death camps.
Bown concludes that while the pope is wise, his statements should be considered carefully, especially when they touch on complex moral issues like war.
