The papal conclave is to get together May 7th. This comes on the heels of the death of Pope Francis, who died on Easter Monday at the age of 88. There’s no question that this conclave will be immensely critical when it comes to electing a new pope. The cardinals are preparing to enter the Sistine Chapel to elect St. Peter’s successor. Needless to say, the topic of the upcoming event has generated some spirited debate. Former President Donald Trump’s recent comments about the event have added to the excitement and speculation, as well as the opposition.
Just a few short weeks ago Donald Trump shared an AI-generated image of himself as the pope on Truth Social. He made light of his ambition to head up the Catholic Church. He went on to say that he’d be his own “number one pick” for the job. This cheeky but serious retort has sparked wildly different reactions from the halls of political power to religious leaders.
JD Vance, U.S. Senator and devout Catholic, rode to Trump’s defense, insisting that the post was just a jokey joke. Vance had been among the last people to meet with Pope Francis before he died. This meeting showcased Vance’s deep personal ties to the recently deceased pontiff.
“As a general rule, I’m fine with people telling jokes and not fine with people starting stupid wars that kill thousands of my countrymen,” – Vice President JD Vance.
Despite Vance’s defense of the ad, the picture has been roundly criticized by a wide variety of members of the Catholic community. The New York State Catholic Conference, among others, expressed displeasure about Trump’s new statement on social media. They pointed out that it is especially grotesque to mock the situation this soon after Pope Francis’s passing.
“There is nothing clever or funny about this image, Mr. President. We just buried our beloved Pope Francis and the cardinals are about to enter a solemn conclave to elect a new successor of St. Peter. Do not mock us,” – New York State Catholic Conference.
Senator Lindsey Graham joined in on the conversation, expressing support for Trump’s potential candidacy for pope while acknowledging some resistance to the idea.
“Glad to report there is very positive reception and strong momentum for President Trump to be the next Pope. But I will be first to admit there has been some resistance!” – Sen. Lindsey Graham.
Vance even participated in funny back and forths over Trump’s tweet. He was responsible for recommending the candidacy of Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York for the papacy. This recommendation is significant because no U.S. cardinal has ever been named to serve as pope. In the months leading up to their conclave, these cardinals will think back on this moment in history. As they do, they will reach deeper into the currents of today’s conversations about faith and leadership.
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