The first day of the conclave to elect the late Pope Francis’ successor closed without a decision.
The 133 cardinals sworn to secrecy to take part in the election gathered in the Sistine Chapel on Wednesday to begin the process to decide the next head of the Catholic Church. Francis’ death just over two weeks ago set the process of choosing his successor in motion.
Black smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel on Wednesday night, signaling to a crowd of tens of thousands of onlookers that the conclave had closed its first day with no decision. The result was expected as the first vote has little chance of resulting in a pope.
For the next pope to be elected, he must receive a two-thirds vote from the cardinals in the conclave. The conclave is made up of Catholic cardinals under the age of 80. Bishop Robert Barron, founder of Word on Fire, said that the first vote, while inconclusive, is an important gauge for the cardinals to see who the viable candidates may be.
“For the first time they’re going to sense exactly who are the candidates,” said Barron, according to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/new-pope-conclave-day-one-05-07-25#cmae76xdt001g3b6p6z3wvvg5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CNN</a>. “Maybe some people that we’ve all been talking about are not really going to get votes. And then they’ll see, ok, probably someone a little more left, someone a little more right. So, this vote will be an important one, almost certainly indecisive, but it will give a good indication of where the conclave is.”
The cardinals will reconvene in the Sistine Chapel on Thursday to resume voting. As many as four votes may be held that day. When a new pope is chosen, white smoke will rise from the chimney in the chapel, a message to the Catholic faithful that the conclave has been successful.
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A handy graphic. All times are EDT. <a href="https://t.co/iDkN8sWZ1C">pic.twitter.com/iDkN8sWZ1C</a>
&mdash; Father V (@father_rmv) <a href="https://twitter.com/father_rmv/status/1919912732771406121?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
This conclave is the largest in history, according to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/05/07/world/pope-conclave-updates/heres-the-latest?smid=url-share" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The New York Times</a>. Most of the 133 cardinals involved were handpicked by Francis.
In some sense, the election of the next pope may be a referendum on Francis’ papacy. The late pontiff was accused of making confusing statements and ignoring canon law.
“I think it was a very conflictual legacy,” Fr. Robert Sirico, founder of the conservative Acton Institute, told <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/as-conclave-begins-conservative-catholics-try-to-make-sense-of-pope-francis?author=Mairead+Elordi&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=As+Conclave+Begins%2C+Conservative+Catholics+Try+To+Make+Sense+Of+Pope+Francis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a>.
“I think you had almost opposites in the same person because he would affirm clearly and sometimes in very blunt language the Church’s teaching on the controversial issues, but on the other hand he was sending messages that endeared him to the most progressive elements of the Church, and it’s not clear to me what his strategy was,” said Sirico.

Sistine Chapel

Conclave Closes Day One With Key First Vote, No Pope Chosen

Catholic Church

Pope Francis

The papal conclave begins today, with dozens of cardinals arriving from around the globe to lock themselves away in the Sistine Chapel and cast ballots in secret for Pope Francis&#8217; successor.
Amid the excitement, conservative Catholics in the United States are reflecting on Pope Francis, trying to make sense of a complicated papacy and wondering where the Catholic Church may be headed next.
The late pope was known for his love of the poor and his humble habits, but he also attracted controversy.
&#8220;Without a doubt he was inspirational to many people,&#8221; Austin Ruse, president of the Center for Family and Human Rights told The Daily Wire.
&#8220;There&#8217;s an outpouring of love toward him upon his passing and even conservatives can rejoice that he is now in the presence of his Maker. Even conservatives can recognize that he loved the Lord deeply,&#8221; Ruse said. &#8220;Having said that, I will also say that for many people, his pontificate was confusing.&#8221;
Both Francis&#8217; official statements and offhand remarks frequently caused confusion among the faithful and sparked vehement criticism, even from his own cardinals.
&#8220;I think it was a very conflictual legacy,&#8221; Fr. Robert Sirico, founder of the conservative Acton Institute told The Daily Wire.
&#8220;I think you had almost opposites in the same person because he would affirm clearly and sometimes in very blunt language the Church&#8217;s teaching on the controversial issues, but on the other hand he was sending messages that endeared him to the most progressive elements of the Church, and it&#8217;s not clear to me what his strategy was,&#8221; Sirico said.
The litany of Francis&#8217; controversial moves is long.
In 2023, Francis <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pope-says-blessings-for-individuals-in-same-sex-relationships-cannot-resemble-marriage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that Catholic priests can give &#8220;spontaneous blessings&#8221; to same-sex couples, but cautioned that such a blessing does not sanction the union and cannot resemble a marriage ceremony. Nevertheless, media outlets and commentators <a href="https://twitter.com/JamesMartinSJ/status/1736752055362936938" target="_blank" rel="noopener">presented</a> that Vatican document as a major shift for the Catholic Church.
This came a decade after Francis famously responded, “who am I to judge?” when asked about gay clergy at a press conference shortly after he became pope in 2013.
Francis caused controversy again in 2015 when he <a href="https://wherepeteris.com/communion-for-the-divorced-and-remarried-a-defense-of-amoris-laetitia/#:~:text=In%20chapter%20eight%20of%20Amoris,in%20certain%20cases%2C%20receive%20Communion." target="_blank" rel="noopener">approved</a> guidelines saying divorced and remarried Catholics may be able to receive communion in certain cases where there are mitigating factors, <a href="https://www.catholic.com/video/what-did-pope-francis-change-about-communion-for-divorced-catholics" target="_blank" rel="noopener">such</a> as duress, that make them not culpable for the mortal sin of adultery. Afterward, some cardinals <a href="https://www.nationalreview.com/2017/12/pope-francis-divorce-remarriage-communion-guidelines-letter/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">called</a> on the pope to clarify his position.
Francis sparked questions in 2018 when he <a href="https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-08/pope-francis-cdf-ccc-death-penalty-revision-ladaria.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">changed</a> the Catechism of the Catholic Church to state that the death penalty is now &#8220;inadmissible.&#8221; Previously, the Church had said the death penalty was permissible in &#8220;very rare&#8221; cases if it was the only way to defend people from the aggressor.
Francis <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/vatican-clarifies-opposition-to-radical-gender-theory-says-it-threatens-a-persons-unique-dignity" target="_blank" rel="noopener">condemned</a> gender ideology in strong terms, saying sex change procedures threaten the “unique dignity” of a person. Meanwhile though, the Vatican <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/people-who-got-transgender-surgery-can-be-baptized-and-be-godparents-under-certain-conditions-vatican-clarifies" target="_blank" rel="noopener">issued</a> a document in 2023 that, while it ultimately reiterated Catholic doctrine on baptism and godparents, caused confusion around same-sex couples and people who currently identify as transgender.
On abortion, Francis was not vague, <a href="https://www.ncregister.com/cna/belgium-to-rome-in-flight-papal-presser" target="_blank" rel="noopener">saying</a> abortions are homicides and calling doctors who perform them &#8220;hitmen.&#8221;
Francis <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dntdUwbIaIA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">gave</a> a humorously blunt answer — &#8220;no&#8221; — when 60 Minutes asked him last year whether the Church would ever allow women to become priests.
Several offhand comments, like the pope&#8217;s reference to large Catholic families having children “<a class="css-yywogo" title="" href="https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/speeches/2015/january/documents/papa-francesco_20150119_srilanka-filippine-conferenza-stampa.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">like rabbits,</a>” and telling priests to stop wearing “grandma’s lace” during Mass, ruffled feathers among more traditional Catholics.
However, Francis then stunned those who saw him as a beacon of inclusivity when he <a href="https://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/what-should-pope-francis-have-said" target="_blank" rel="noopener">used</a> the Italian word frociaggine, often translated as “faggotry” twice within the span of a few weeks — with a Vatican apology in <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/pope-francis-apologises-after-homophobic-slur-vatican-2024-05-28/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">between</a> — in the context of homosexual seminarians.
&#8220;There was this old kind of homophobic Argentinian operative inside this man who wanted to reach out to transgender and gay people and all that. This is part of the whole thing that needs to be sorted out,&#8221; Sirico said.
&#8220;It&#8217;s almost what you would call in an informal way, a kind of schizophrenia,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I mean, if I was dealing with this person in my real life, I&#8217;d sit him down and say, well, what is it? Is it A or B? And nobody did that with him.&#8221;
Sirico said he was &#8220;unsatisfied&#8221; with the theological accusations against Francis, but he was concerned with the pope&#8217;s disregard for Canon law, such as ignoring the procedure for replacing bishops.
&#8220;If he wanted to change it, he could have, but he didn&#8217;t. He just violated it,&#8221; Sirico said.
He gave the example of Fr. Marko Rupnik, a Jesuit priest who was excommunicated after allegations surfaced of decades of sexual and psychological abuse from dozens of nuns, including that he had sex with nuns and then absolved them in confession. Later, Rupnik <a href="https://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/is-the-tide-turning-on-the-rupnik" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ended</a> up in a diocese in his native Slovenia.
&#8220;So the excommunication had been lifted, but by whom? The only one who could have done it was the pope, but nobody owned that. This is the stuff I&#8217;m saying that I hope will come out,&#8221; Sirico said.
Some critics, such as Fr. Gerald Murray, pastor of Saint Joseph’s Church in New York City, level weightier charges against Francis.
&#8220;Pope Francis’ principal legacy will be that of a Pope who sought to change Catholic doctrine and practice regarding divorce and remarriage, by allowing Holy Communion to be given to Catholics in invalid second marriages, and regarding homosexuality, by authorizing priests to bless same-sex couples,&#8221; Murray told The Daily Wire.
Murray also said that Francis&#8217; &#8220;secret agreement with the Chinese Communist government, giving the regime a major role in the naming of Catholic bishops in China, is something unimaginable during the reigns of the two previous popes.&#8221;
The Vatican renewed that agreement last year <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/259997/vatican-renews-china-bishop-appointment-deal-for-four-more-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener">despite</a> reports of China abusing it, detaining bishops and naming new bishops for new dioceses not recognized by the Vatican. The details of the agreement have not been made public.
Ruse said that another &#8220;unfortunate move&#8221; was Francis &#8220;going to great lengths to stamp out the Traditional Latin Mass, which has been extremely painful to many people in the Church.&#8221;
In 2021, Francis <a href="https://www.ewtnvatican.com/articles/vatican-publishes-new-guidelines-on-the-traditional-latin-mass-552" target="_blank" rel="noopener">imposed</a> severe restrictions on the Latin Mass, requiring priests to get permission from their local bishop if they wanted to say it. In 2023, he clarified that bishops must obtain approval from the Vatican itself if they wanted the Latin Mass in their diocese, and newly ordained priests would need special permission.
Pope Benedict XVI had <a href="https://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/motu_proprio/documents/hf_ben-xvi_motu-proprio_20070707_summorum-pontificum.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">given</a> priests broad permission to say the Latin Mass in 2007.
&#8220;It speaks to divisions that we have had in the Church for quite a long time. Even before the Second Vatican Council these types of divisions existed in the Church,&#8221; Ruse said. &#8220;I think in some ways they were exacerbated in recent years.&#8221;
However, Ruse added that one of the &#8220;very good things&#8221; about Francis&#8217; papacy was that he cured the &#8220;papolatry,&#8221; or idolizing of the pope by some right-of-center Catholics.
During his papacy, Francis <a href="https://www.americamagazine.org/issue/financial-markets-first-do-no-harm#:~:text=%22It%20is%20increasingly%20intolerable%20that,food%20prices%20%22a%20scandal%20which" target="_blank" rel="noopener">criticized</a> capitalism and was known for calling on countries to care for migrants, <a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/10/04/920053203/pope-francis-laments-failures-of-market-capitalism-in-blueprint-for-post-covid-w" target="_blank" rel="noopener">saying</a> &#8220;racism is a virus.&#8221;
&#8220;I don&#8217;t think he was a Marxist,&#8221; Sirico said. &#8220;He certainly wasn&#8217;t a free market kind of guy the way [Pope John Paul II] was, but on the other hand, I think he profoundly misunderstood the United States on a very visceral level, and I think that is owing to his Argentinian background and what happened in his lifetime in Argentina.&#8221;
During Francis&#8217; youth, Argentina&#8217;s government had powerful socialist elements, and the country saw several government overthrows.
Ruse agreed: &#8220;I don&#8217;t believe that he had a real understanding of the dynamics of the Church in the United States, and I think he was relying on partisans who were advising him,&#8221; he said.
Early on in his pontificate, Francis <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/27720/pope-to-youth-shake-things-up-bring-church-to-the-streets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> a group of young people from Argentina to &#8220;make a mess&#8221; in the Church.
&#8220;And he did,&#8221; Sirico said. &#8220;He&#8217;s made a mess, and I think the next Pope is going to have to do something about that &#8230; I think he&#8217;s left the church divided.&#8221;
Sirico spent a month in Rome before Pope Francis died, and was set to be in Rome during the conclave as well.
At the Vatican, there was a sense of &#8220;people staying in the foxhole, looking out very cautiously to see what was going to happen,&#8221; Sirico said of his conversations with numerous bishops, cardinals, and members of the Vatican bureaucracy around the time of the pope&#8217;s death.
The atmosphere of the Vatican during this last papacy was &#8220;very personal, at times very petty,&#8221; he said.
Sirico said he doesn&#8217;t view the search for the next pope through the lens of &#8220;liberal or conservative.&#8221;
&#8220;I think people across the spectrum are going to just want a little more clarity and calm,&#8221; he said, adding that the next pope will likely want to &#8220;let the dust settle on this pontificate.&#8221;
&#8220;This pope is going to be a hard act to follow if they want to follow in those footsteps. I don&#8217;t think there&#8217;s going to be a Francis 2.0,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I think it will be a much more traditional pontificate than that of Francis, but that&#8217;s a low bar. He&#8217;s a revolutionary in a lot of ways, stylistically, not doctrinally. At the end of the day, the Church&#8217;s doctrine remains the same.&#8221;
On that note, Ruse cautioned the faithful not to get too deeply involved in the &#8220;sturm und drang and controversies in the Church.&#8221;
&#8220;What I have done in recent years is to try to view myself as a 13th-century peasant, who may know the name of the pope, probably knows the name of his bishop, doesn&#8217;t know the names of any other bishops, says his rosary and goes to Mass,&#8221; he said.
As for the future of the Catholic Church, Ruse has a simple prayer.
&#8220;Where do we go from here? Well there&#8217;s going to be a new pope in a handful of weeks, and we&#8217;re all praying that it will be a good and holy man,&#8221; he said.

Pope Francis Visits Portugal For World Youth Day

As Conclave Begins, Conservative Catholics Try To Make Sense Of Pope Francis

As Conclave Begins, Conservative Catholics Make Sense Of Pope Francis

Catholic

Catholicism

Catholics

The Vatican

Vatican

President Donald Trump shrugged off criticisms of an AI-generated image showing him as the pope, saying first that the image had prompted far more negative reactions from media than from Catholics and then adding, &#8220;My wife thought it was cute.&#8221;
Trump responded on Monday to a question from Fox News White House correspondent Jacqui Heinrich, who suggested that the backlash was primarily coming from Catholics.
&#8220;Some Catholics were not so happy about the image of you looking like the pope,&#8221; she said.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
President Donald Trump was asked by Fox News&#8217; <a href="https://twitter.com/JacquiHeinrich?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JacquiHeinrich</a> about the viral AI-generated image of him as the Pope that was posted on the official White House account.
HEINRICH: &#8220;Some Catholics were not so happy about the image of you looking like the Pope&#8230;&#8221;
TRUMP: &#8220;Oh, I… <a href="https://t.co/rvwelwIzOC">pic.twitter.com/rvwelwIzOC</a>
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) <a href="https://twitter.com/townhallcom/status/1919453147640004975?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 5, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;Oh, I see. You mean they can&#8217;t take a joke,&#8221; Trump replied. &#8220;You don&#8217;t mean the Catholics, you mean the Fake News Media. The Catholics loved it.&#8221;
Heinrich pushed back, but Trump kept going, saying, &#8220;I had nothing to do with it. Somebody made up a picture of me dressed like the pope and they put it out on the internet. That&#8217;s not me that did it, I have no idea where it came from. Maybe it was AI, but I know nothing about it.&#8221;
&#8220;I just saw it last evening. Actually, my wife thought it was cute. She said, &#8216;Isn&#8217;t that nice?'&#8221; Trump continued, adding, &#8220;Actually, I would not be able to be married, though. That would be a lot. To the best of my knowledge, popes aren&#8217;t getting married, are they? Not that we know of, no.&#8221;
Several people in the room laughed, and Trump concluded, &#8220;I think it&#8217;s the fake news media that — they&#8217;re fakers.&#8221;
Heinrich kept at it, asking Trump whether he felt it &#8220;diminished the White House account&#8221; to have posted such a picture.
&#8220;Give me a break,&#8221; was Trump&#8217;s reply. &#8220;It was just — somebody did it in fun. It&#8217;s fine.&#8221;
Vice President JD Vance, who is a practicing Catholic, responded to the picture when prompted by Bill Kristol.
&#8220;As a general rule, I&#8217;m fine with people telling jokes and not fine with people starting stupid wars that kill thousands of my countrymen,&#8221; he said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
As a general rule, I&#8217;m fine with people telling jokes and not fine with people starting stupid wars that kill thousands of my countrymen. <a href="https://t.co/2WQPsofVIH">https://t.co/2WQPsofVIH</a>
— JD Vance (@JDVance) <a href="https://twitter.com/JDVance/status/1918742839560741235?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Vance was also among those who joked — after Secretary of State Marco Rubio was temporarily asked to take over the responsibilities of exiting National Security Adviser Mike Waltz — that Rubio could take on one more job open only to a &#8220;devout Catholic &#8230;&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I think he could take on a bit more.
If only there was a job opening for a devout Catholic… <a href="https://t.co/CbOZNZ1e5o">https://t.co/CbOZNZ1e5o</a>
— JD Vance (@JDVance) <a href="https://twitter.com/JDVance/status/1918083148803453334?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 1, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

US-POLITICS-ELECTION

‘My Wife Thought It Was Cute’: Trump Shrugs Off Criticism Of AI Pope Image

'My Wife Thought It Was Cute': Trump Shrugs Off Criticism Of AI Pope Image

Donald Trump

Media

Politics

Every time there is a change in the White House or the cabinet, it often seems as though President Donald Trump fills in the holes in his staff by giving extra responsibilities — and occasionally job titles as well — to Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
When it happened again on Thursday — President Trump dropped a surprise announcement that he&#8217;d be nominating his National Security Adviser Mike Waltz to serve instead as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, saying that in the meantime, Rubio would assume the national security adviser&#8217;s duties — Vice President JD Vance could not resist throwing one more suggestion into the mix.
&#8220;I think he could take on a bit more. If only there was a job opening for a devout Catholic …&#8221; Vance posted via X, clearly suggesting that Rubio — who is a practicing Catholic — should be considered as a potential replacement for the late Pope Francis.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I think he could take on a bit more.
If only there was a job opening for a devout Catholic… <a href="https://t.co/CbOZNZ1e5o">https://t.co/CbOZNZ1e5o</a>
— JD Vance (@JDVance) <a href="https://twitter.com/JDVance/status/1918083148803453334?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 1, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) appeared to be on the same page as Vance, sharing an AI-generated image of Rubio as the Pope.
&#8220;I’m just saying. He can wear many hats,&#8221; Lee quipped.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I’m just saying
He can wear many hats <a href="https://t.co/5gwiKMZ8de">pic.twitter.com/5gwiKMZ8de</a>
— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) <a href="https://twitter.com/BasedMikeLee/status/1918125313860751856?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 2, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The conversation around Rubio&#8217;s many jobs within the Trump administration came up during a Thursday evening interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity on his eponymous show — and Rubio noted that there was one major barrier to him ever taking on the rope of Pope: his wife.
&#8220;Rubio joked tonight about all the roles he plays in the Trump admin. On the idea of seeking role as pope, too, @SecRubio said you have to be an unmarried Catholic male. &#8216;I&#8217;m happily married,&#8217; he told @seanhannity,&#8221; Jennifer Jacobs posted.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Rubio joked tonight about all the roles he plays in the Trump admin. On the idea of seeking role as pope, too, <a href="https://twitter.com/SecRubio?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecRubio</a> said you have to be an unmarried Catholic male. &#8220;I&#8217;m happily married,&#8221; he told <a href="https://twitter.com/seanhannity?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@seanhannity</a>.
— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) <a href="https://twitter.com/JenniferJJacobs/status/1918123006468972605?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 2, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Semafor&#8217;s Burgess Everett listed Rubio&#8217;s job titles in a post, saying, &#8220;I believe Marco Rubio is now: Secretary of State, National Security Adviser, Acting USAID admin, Acting archivist.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I believe Marco Rubio is now: 
Secretary of State 
National Security Adviser 
Acting USAID admin 
Acting archivist
— Burgess Everett (@burgessev) <a href="https://twitter.com/burgessev/status/1918008871932584269?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 1, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Marco at the next cabinet meeting <a href="https://t.co/mG5siaaycc">https://t.co/mG5siaaycc</a> <a href="https://t.co/mwdY00Woc6">pic.twitter.com/mwdY00Woc6</a>
— Alex Griswold (@HashtagGriswold) <a href="https://twitter.com/HashtagGriswold/status/1918283152830902440?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 2, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

US-DIPLOMACY-RUBIO-CARICOM

Trump Keeps Giving Secretary Of State Rubio Extra Jobs — And Now JD Vance Has One To Add

Executive

JD Vance

Marco Rubio

Social Media

President Donald Trump joked on Tuesday that his first choice to replace the late Pope Francis was &#8230; himself, a crack that was destined to inspire meltdowns from those who hate him the most.
Trump took a few questions from the press outside the White House as he marked the 100th day of his second term in office, and the topic turned to the imminent conclave during which the Catholic Church&#8217;s next leader will be chosen.
&#8220;Who do you want to see as the next Pope?&#8221; a reporter asked.
&#8220;As Pope?&#8221; Trump repeated before quipping, &#8220;I&#8217;d like to be Pope. That would be my number one choice.&#8221;
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &#8220;I&#8217;d like to be pope.&#8221; 🤣
&#8220;We have a cardinal that happens to be out of a place called New York who&#8217;s very good, so we&#8217;ll see what happens.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/WPdRPwHxP9">pic.twitter.com/WPdRPwHxP9</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1917289085938590136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The reporters continued to talk, but were drowned out by the sound of Marine One in the background.
&#8220;No, I don&#8217;t know, I have no preference,&#8221; the president continued. &#8220;I must say we have a cardinal that happens to be out of a place called New York who&#8217;s very good, so we&#8217;ll see what happens.&#8221;
Trump was likely referring to Cardinal Timothy Dolan, one of ten American cardinals who will participate in the conclave and vote on the next pontiff. Critics say that Dolan is a long shot for the church&#8217;s highest office himself, largely based on the perception that he is too American.
Some took Trump&#8217;s remark as a joke and responded in kind.
&#8220;Make Rome Great Again,&#8221; one said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Make Rome Great Again
— Jess Fields (@jessalanfields) <a href="https://twitter.com/jessalanfields/status/1917289220755833208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;The Vatican has a chance to do the funniest thing,&#8221; another posted.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The Vatican has a chance to do the funniest thing <a href="https://t.co/hf271V1EOL">https://t.co/hf271V1EOL</a>
— The Dank Knight 🦇 (@capeandcowell) <a href="https://twitter.com/capeandcowell/status/1917307476719833388?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;You&#8217;re not gonna convince me Trump saying &#8216;I’d like to be pope&#8217; isn’t funny,&#8221; said one.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Youre not gonna convince me Trump saying “I’d like to be pope” isn’t funny. 
<a href="https://t.co/6eh0qqi05u">pic.twitter.com/6eh0qqi05u</a>
— Timothy HJ Nerozzi (@TimothyNerozzi) <a href="https://twitter.com/TimothyNerozzi/status/1917310456328241166?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
One posted before he even made the comment, &#8220;I feel like Donald Trump wearing this white hat is to remind us that the danger of him becoming pope is slim…*but it’s never zero.*&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I feel like Donald Trump wearing this white hat is to remind us that the danger of him becoming pope is slim…*but it’s never zero.* <a href="https://t.co/D7RbEsT1V0">pic.twitter.com/D7RbEsT1V0</a>
— Emily Zanotti 🦝 (@emzanotti) <a href="https://twitter.com/emzanotti/status/1916874695795769794?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
But the critics were not amused.
&#8220;I think the prerequisite is &#8216;need to be able to go into a church without bursting into flames,'&#8221; one said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I think the prerequisite is &#8220;need to be able to go into a church without bursting into flames&#8221;
— TheGeekReborn (@thegeekreborn) <a href="https://twitter.com/thegeekreborn/status/1917294375803183233?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;Now he wants to be the next pope, God help us,&#8221; another added.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Now he wants to be the next pope, God help us. <a href="https://t.co/1VChIzdagI">pic.twitter.com/1VChIzdagI</a>
— 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐚 𝐊𝐎𝐌𝐒𝐀 | 🇪🇺🇫🇷🇵🇱🇺🇦 (@tweet4Anna_NAFO) <a href="https://twitter.com/tweet4Anna_NAFO/status/1917303304498848022?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;Trump. Does. Not. Joke,&#8221; one claimed.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Trump. Does. Not. Joke.
— Janice Hough (@leftcoastbabe) <a href="https://twitter.com/leftcoastbabe/status/1917289577150308490?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;Isn&#8217;t he already considered the pope of white evangelicals?&#8221; another asked.
&#8220;Isn’t he already considered the pope of white evangelicals?&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Isn’t he already considered the pope of white evangelicals?
— 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐝𝐢 (@ChidiNwatu) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChidiNwatu/status/1917289977949389247?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

President And Mrs Trump Depart White House For Rome

Cue The Pearl-Clutchers: Trump Just Said He’d ‘Like To Be Pope’

Cue The Pearl-Clutchers: Trump Just Said He'd 'Like To Be Pope'

Religion

G.K. Chesterton <a href="https://www3.nd.edu/~afreddos/courses/43811/stfrancisproblem.htm">wrote</a> of St. Francis of Assisi, “But after all, this man was a man and not half a dozen men. What seems inconsistency to you did not seem inconsistency to him.”
We should keep this same principle in mind today as we continue to pray for the repose of Pope Francis’s soul — and assess what we can learn from his legacy, both good and bad.
Much like the great saint whom he chose as his namesake and clearly intended to emulate, Pope Francis confounded caricature and was often misunderstood. In his life, and especially over the course of his pontificate, this quality often led to confusion for the faithful. No doubt, that pattern of confusion will be one hallmark of Francis’s papacy.
If we hope to learn from the life of Pope Francis, however, we must start by rejecting the mainstream media’s depiction of him as a “liberal” pope. Since his death, the New York Times has been filled with <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/22/opinion/pope-francis-gay-muddle.html'" target="_blank" rel="noopener">headlines</a> regarding his perspective on “LGBTQ people,” women deacons, or the Church’s teaching on birth control. But while these may be important issues to the opinion writers of the New York Times, they were not central to Pope Francis’s work.
A much better place to begin is, well, the beginning: those early years of the pontificate when an energetic and vigorous Pope Francis set out to reform the Vatican’s bureaucracy and put an emphasis on serving the poor and taking care of the sick.
<div id="attachment_913279" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-913279" class="size-large wp-image-913279" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-165118482-864x576.jpg" alt="VATICAN CITY, VATICAN - MARCH 31: Pope Francis embraces a boy prior to his first 'Urbi et Orbi' blessing from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica during Easter Mass on March 31, 2013 in Vatican City, Vatican. Pope Francis delivered his message to the gathered faithful from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica in St. Peter's Square after his first Holy week as Pontiff. (Photo by Franco Origlia/Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-165118482-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-165118482-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-165118482-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-165118482.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Franco Origlia/Getty Images</div>
I will never forget when the Pope, in 2013, reached down and kissed a man suffering from neurofibromatosis, a rare disease which had left him disfigured with boils all over his head. And this was far from the only example. In his first year in the seat of St. Peter, Pope Francis made a point of <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/26889/pope-francis-to-offer-hope-by-washing-young-inmates-feet" target="_blank" rel="noopener">washing the feet</a> of 12 young people at a juvenile detention center, <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/27588/pope-francis-invites-homeless-to-dine-at-vatican" target="_blank" rel="noopener">inviting</a> 200 homeless people to dine at the Vatican, and living in a modest guest house rather than the Apostolic Palace.
With this radical humility, Pope Francis — the first Pope from the global South, where the Church continues to grow — reminded the decadent old continent that the cultural inheritance of Christendom is not in attending U.N. Conferences, but the corporal works of mercy: to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, shelter the homeless, visit the sick, visit the prisoners, bury the dead, and give alms to the poor.
Yet as much as Pope Francis loved the poor, he was not a humble Franciscan friar but a savvy Jesuit political operator whose initial attention to the corporal works of mercy — though never entirely lost — soon gave way to practical considerations about what would secure his power over the Church. And unfortunately, as he aged and became more entangled in the politics of the Vatican, Pope Francis became vulnerable to manipulation by his advisers as well as the media and indeed made many missteps that confused and divided his flock.
Examples abound. One week he would promote the blessing of “unions of persons of the same sex.” The next he would say that marriage will always be the union of one man and one woman. On one occasion, he declared that abortion was akin to “hiring a hitman,” while nevertheless appointing a pro-abortion economist to the Pontifical Academy for Life.
And because of his excessive reliance on the likes of Cardinal Blase Cupich — the radical progressive archbishop of Chicago whom he appropriately dubbed “the little woman” — Pope Francis was especially misguided in his approach to more conservative segments of the Church. He imposed serious restrictions on the celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass, which is growing rapidly in the United States. And despite his frequent denunciation of “clericalism,” he upended, for no apparent reason, the constitution of Opus Dei, a prelature distinguished for promoting the role of the laity in the Church’s mission.
In short, rather than working with the young, vibrant, and faithful segments of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis attacked them, choosing instead to champion progressive prelates and priests like Father James Martin, a Jesuit who pushes the Catholic church to abandon the traditional definition of marriage.
<div id="attachment_720181" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-720181" class="size-large wp-image-720181" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-619464578-864x576.jpg" alt="MALMO, SWEDEN - OCTOBER 31: Pope Francis gives a speech during the 'Together in Hope' event at Malmo Arena on October 31, 2016 in Malmo, Sweden. The Pope is on 2 days visit attending Catholic-Lutheran Commemoration in Lund and Malmo. (Photo by Michael Campanella/Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-619464578-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-619464578-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-619464578-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-619464578.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Michael Campanella/Getty Images</div>
In spite of his own opposition to these groups, however, Pope Francis’s pontificate witnessed a surge of conservative young people converting to Catholicism, in America and around the world. This Easter, dioceses across the United States <a href="https://www.ncregister.com/news/easter-converts-2024-by-the-numbers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> 30%, 40%, 50%, and even 70% increases in the number of converts coming into the Church on Easter Vigil. Young people seeking stability and rootedness account for most of these conversions, and the same phenomenon is happening in <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/263349/france-sees-record-10384-adult-baptisms-in-2025-45-percent-increase-as-young-catholics-lead-revival" target="_blank" rel="noopener">France</a> and <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/263329/surge-in-adults-entering-church-in-england-this-easter-prompted-by-internet-tradition" target="_blank" rel="noopener">England</a>, where a <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/263239/catholics-now-outnumber-anglicans-among-gen-z-in-the-uk-study-suggestshttps:/www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/263239/catholics-now-outnumber-anglicans-among-gen-z-in-the-uk-study-suggests" target="_blank" rel="noopener">study</a> shows that Gen Z Catholics now outnumber Anglicans two to one.
Amid this renewed interest in the Catholic Church, one of the great tragedies of Pope Francis’s papacy is that his misguided opposition to traditional religious communities and conservative political policies may have given many of these young Catholics the impression that a focus on serving the poor, feeding the hungry, and carrying out the other corporal works of mercy is somehow at odds with tradition and orthodoxy.
Let me be clear: this is not and never has been the case.
Christ tells his disciples in Matthew 25, “whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” The corporal works of mercy are essential for all Christians, regardless of denomination or political party. And beyond informing our personal faith, they also must guide our efforts to reclaim our institutions and restore our country.
Moreover, Pope Francis’s liberal posturing on things like the environment may obscure his urgent message to modernity. Consider the late Pope’s 2015 “global warming” encyclical, Laudato Si. While it did include entire sections on “pollution and climate change” which the liberal media fawned over and promoted, its deeper argument — that we have failed to “safeguard the moral conditions for an authentic human ecology” — was profoundly conservative and largely ignored.
In Laudato Si, Pope Francis beautifully lays out how a “technocratic paradigm” has led us to accept “every advance in technology with a view to profit, without concern for its potentially negative impact on human beings.” And in pursuit of this “unlimited human power,” he argues, we have undermined the various conditions that help us flourish: destroyed God’s majestic creation, contracepted our God-given gift to create life, and dishonored God’s plan for men and women to be different.
This message — not misguided one-off statements on airplane interviews or liberal media headlines about hot button political issues — is what we should take away from Pope Francis’s papacy.
Modernity, despite all its advances, has robbed us of many of the most basic spiritual and moral resources we need to flourish and be truly happy. To recover them, we don’t need complex coding or advanced AI, but rather, as Pope Francis sought to remind us, simply to follow the lessons Jesus taught us about serving our fellow man.
Much like the early parts of his pontificate, Pope Francis’s final days reflected this message.
On Sunday, the Pope’s last day on Earth, he met with Vice President JD Vance, squashing their public spat. He used his Easter message to make an appeal for peace in the world&#8217;s most war-torn regions. And finally, he made one last loop through St. Peter’s square, stopping several times to bless babies brought up to him and wish all his “brothers and sisters” a “Happy Easter.”
May he rest in peace, mixed legacy and all — and may his brother cardinals be inspired to choose a successor capable of combining Pope Francis’s initial emphasis on the corporal works with a steadfast commitment to tradition, both of which were sorely lacking in the final years of the Holy Father’s life.
* * *
Kevin Roberts is the President of The Heritage Foundation.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

TOPSHOT-VATICAN-HEALTH-VIRUS-RELIGION-POPE-AUDIENCE

What Can We Learn From Pope Francis?

Bible

Christianity

Heritage Foundation

Liberals

Opinion

President Donald Trump sits down one-on-one with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Rome and ramps up pressure on Putin. Hundreds of thousands of mourners gathered in St. Peter’s Square for the funeral of Pope Francis. And 100 days into Trump&#8217;s term, we ride along with ICE agents in Boston as they arrest criminal illegals.
It’s Monday, April 28, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. For the first time, Morning Wire is available on video! You can watch today&#8217;s episode here:
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Of course, Morning Wire is still available wherever you get your podcasts. If you&#8217;d prefer to listen on the go, you can do so here:
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<h2>Vatican City Peace Talks, Canadian Elections</h2>
<div id="attachment_912765" style="width: 946px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-912765" class="size-large wp-image-912765" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Four-Way-Convo-936x576.jpg" alt="" width="936" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Four-Way-Convo-936x576.jpg 936w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Four-Way-Convo-300x185.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Four-Way-Convo-768x473.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Four-Way-Convo-1536x945.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Four-Way-Convo-2048x1260.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 936px) 100vw, 936px" />(Photo by Ukrainian Presidential Press Service via Getty Images)</div>
Topline: President Trump traveled to Vatican City on Saturday for the first foreign trip of his new term, honoring Pope Francis and meeting face-to-face with Volodymyr Zelensky and other European leaders.
Before Pope Francis’s funeral began, Trump and Zelensky huddled with Britain&#8217;s Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron in St. Peter&#8217;s Basilica.  This was their first encounter since Zelensky’s contentious visit to the White House back in February, but this time there were no advisers, translators or video cameras. Zelensky called it a “very symbolic meeting that has potential to become historic,” adding that he and Trump discussed a “full and unconditional ceasefire” and “reliable and lasting peace.”
Trump certainly seemed more pleased with Zelensky than before, writing on Truth Social that it was time for a high-level summit to “finish it off” — in his words, “most of the major points are agreed to.” Following that meeting, Trump also issued new warnings to Vladimir Putin. For months, Trump has been taking a more diplomatic approach with his Russian counterpart, but over the weekend the president took a rare public <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114404524335638236">shot</a> at Putin, writing on social media: “There [is] no reason for Putin to be shooting missiles into civilian areas, cities and towns, over the last few days. It makes me think that maybe he doesn’t want to stop the war, he’s just tapping me along, and has to be dealt with differently, through ‘Banking’ or ‘Secondary Sanctions?’ Too many people are dying!!!” 
Last week, the White House threatened to abandon the peace talks if the two sides didn’t show more willingness to negotiate, and that seemed to get things moving. On Friday, Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff traveled to Moscow for a three-hour meeting with Putin, which the Kremlin described as “constructive and quite useful” — in their words, the two sides had “narrowed differences.”
That same day, as a sign of their desire to make a deal, Ukraine reportedly sent the White House a new peace proposal that included a major concession — it would not demand all of its land back. In exchange, the Ukrainians are calling for guarantees of a U.S.-backed “European security contingent” to help preserve the peace. Ukraine also wants financial reparations paid for by frozen Russian assets in U.S. and European control.
Meanwhile: A snap election will determine the political future of Canada, and bilateral relations with the United States have been the leading issue. Former Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau resigned after his poll numbers cratered – many felt his public sparring with Trump was the final nail in his coffin. Now, after two months in which Trump has threatened massive tariffs on Canada, and even floats the idea of acquiring the nation as the 51st U.S. state, the election has hinged on which party will stand up to Trump most effectively — to that point, 39% of Canadians say Trump was their top concern, that’s second behind only the cost of living. In the winter, it looked like Pierre Poilievre&#8217;s Conservative party would cruise to victory, but acting Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberal party has surged in the polls on a promise to fight Trump. 
<h2>Pope Francis Laid To Rest</h2>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-912777" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Pope-Francis-Funeral-Screenshot-1020x576.jpg" alt="" width="1020" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Pope-Francis-Funeral-Screenshot-1020x576.jpg 1020w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Pope-Francis-Funeral-Screenshot-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Pope-Francis-Funeral-Screenshot-768x434.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Pope-Francis-Funeral-Screenshot-1536x868.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Pope-Francis-Funeral-Screenshot-2048x1157.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1020px) 100vw, 1020px" /></div>
Topline: The world bid farewell to Pope Francis on Saturday. With world leaders, faithful Catholics, and mourners gathering in St. Peter’s Square to honor his legacy.
The atmosphere was one of reverence and profound emotion. An estimated 250,000 people filled the square and surrounding streets, with millions more watching worldwide to pay their respects. The funeral was a blend of ancient tradition and the simplicity Pope Francis championed. During his papacy, Francis chose to live in a simple guest house rather than the papal palace. He also lived without the internet, reading only one Italian newspaper a day, and vowed to give up television 30 years ago – he kept that vow until his death. His open wooden coffin, a departure from the elaborate triple-casket tradition, lay at ground level in St. Peter’s Basilica during three days of public viewing so he could be with the people rather than above them. He also chose to be buried in his old black shoes rather than the traditional elegant red shoes.
Saturday’s Mass was led by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, whose homily called Francis “a pope among the people,” highlighting his warmth as the first pope from Latin America. He was also the first Jesuit pope. After the service, the coffin was carried in a modest procession to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, where Francis was laid to rest.
The funeral was a significant diplomatic gathering, with 170 foreign dignitaries present, including dozens of heads of state. Among them were President Trump and first lady Melania Trump, Ukrainian President Zelensky, French President Macron, and Argentine President Javier Milei, representing Francis’ native country. European royalty, including Britain’s Prince William, Spain’s King Felipe VI, and Queen Letizia, also attended. The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi was seated prominently in the front row and praised Francis as a “symbol of human fraternity.” 
The College of Cardinals will begin the process of electing a new pope next month in a conclave held inside the Sistine Chapel. A conclave typically begins 15 to 20 days after the death of the previous pope, and only cardinals under the age of 80 can vote. There are currently 135 eligible cardinals, and their first meeting is scheduled for sometime between May 6 and May 11. A strict oath of secrecy is sworn by the cardinal electors, and they are not allowed to communicate with the outside world. When they&#8217;ve reached a two-thirds majority vote, they send a signal to the world with white smoke rising from the chapel.
<h2></h2>
<h2>A Look Into Immigration Enforcement</h2>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-912785" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/ACTUAL-Morning-Wire-Ice-Story-4272025-1024x560.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="560" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/ACTUAL-Morning-Wire-Ice-Story-4272025-1024x560.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/ACTUAL-Morning-Wire-Ice-Story-4272025-300x164.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/ACTUAL-Morning-Wire-Ice-Story-4272025-768x420.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/ACTUAL-Morning-Wire-Ice-Story-4272025-1536x840.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/ACTUAL-Morning-Wire-Ice-Story-4272025-2048x1120.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></div>
Topline: Since President Trump took office nearly 100 days ago, migrant encounters at the southern border have dropped dramatically, by as much as 95%.
Daily Wire reporter Kassy Akiva recently wrapped up a six-hour ride-along with national ICE Director Todd Lyons, where she joined agents from several other federal agencies, including the FBI, to arrest criminal illegal aliens in the Boston area. Director Lyons said while his team in Boston is highly effective, there are challenges in operating in a sanctuary jurisdiction – local governments essentially provide no help and often release criminal aliens on the street without giving ICE any warning.
“While ICE had five targets to arrest during our raid, only two were captured,” Akiva told Morning Wire. “While ICE surveils these criminals for days to determine the best way to approach them, sometimes things don’t go as planned. However, the two criminal aliens arrested while I was along for the operation are what Lyons describes as “the worst of the worst.” The first, a 55-year-old from El Salvador, Miguel Chauvez, is a convicted pedophile. The second, a 68-year-old, Jose Lazaro Ayalla, who was charged with leaving the scene of an accident involving an injured person or death.

MorningWire-0428_v2

Morning Brief: Trump-Zelensky Sit Down, Pope Francis Funeral & ICE Ride-Along

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Morning Wire

Ukraine-Russia War

Volodymyr Zelensky

President Donald Trump and Ukraine&#8217;s President Volodymyr Zelensky met early Saturday in St. Peter&#8217;s Basilica at the Vatican to discuss peace talks between Ukraine and Russia.
The last face-to-face meeting Trump had with Zelensky took place in February at the White House, and did not end well, with Trump saying Zelensky was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-cancels-meeting-sends-zelensky-packing-he-can-come-back-when-he-is-ready-for-peace" target="_blank" rel="noopener">not ready for peace talks</a>.
Trump and Zelensky met minutes before the start of Pope Francis&#8217; funeral, which took place at 10 a.m. Rome time and 4 a.m. Eastern. Pope Francis passed away on Easter Monday, drawing leaders from around the world to Rome.
The meeting <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/26/europe/zelensky-trump-talks-pope-funeral-intl/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> lasted about 15 minutes, and Trump and Zelensky will continue such talks. The meeting this go-around, according to both sides, went more smoothly than the last face-to-face.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Behind Scenes, Vatican City—President Trump sat down to meet privately with Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine this morning in St. Peter’s Basilica… <a href="https://t.co/zzC78AgbNh">pic.twitter.com/zzC78AgbNh</a>
— Dan Scavino (@Scavino47) <a href="https://twitter.com/Scavino47/status/1916097251954278581?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2025</a></blockquote>
<p class="paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph" data-uri="cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/cm9y4ze6g00023b6mu3rvhrjv@published" data-editable="text" data-component-name="paragraph" data-article-gutter="true" data-analytics-observe="off">Zelensky said on X that they had a &#8220;good meeting&#8221; and thanked President Trump.
<p class="paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph" data-uri="cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/cm9y4zifh00063b6mykc3w9nn@published" data-editable="text" data-component-name="paragraph" data-article-gutter="true" data-analytics-observe="off">“We discussed a lot one on one. Hoping for results on everything we covered,” Zelensky wrote. “Protecting lives of our people. Full and unconditional ceasefire. Reliable and lasting peace that will prevent another war from breaking out. Very symbolic meeting that has potential to become historic, if we achieve joint results. Thank you [President Trump].”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Good meeting. We discussed a lot one on one. Hoping for results on everything we covered. Protecting lives of our people. Full and unconditional ceasefire. Reliable and lasting peace that will prevent another war from breaking out. Very symbolic meeting that has potential to… <a href="https://t.co/q4ZhVXCjw0">pic.twitter.com/q4ZhVXCjw0</a>
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1916089502088524203?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2025</a></blockquote>
<p class="paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph" data-uri="cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/cm9y2sojk000c3b6mb0t99v0x@published" data-editable="text" data-component-name="paragraph" data-article-gutter="true" data-analytics-observe="off">A White House spokesman said the pair “met privately today and had a very productive discussion,&#8221; according to a CNN report.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Trump and Zelensky met in St. Peter’s Basilica for about 15 minutes (pictures per Team Zelensky) <a href="https://t.co/PP7iwK6qzi">pic.twitter.com/PP7iwK6qzi</a>
— Mathieu von Rohr (@mathieuvonrohr) <a href="https://twitter.com/mathieuvonrohr/status/1916069398537724361?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2025</a></blockquote>
On Friday, Trump said Russia and Ukraine were “very close” to a peace deal, and called for top leadership of the countries to “finish it off.”
Trump made the comments on Truth Social just as he landed in Rome for Saturday&#8217;s funeral. On the same day, Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/team-trump-arrives-in-russia-as-ukraine-hit-by-more-strikes-top-russian-general-assassinated?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Team+Trump+Arrives+In+Russia+As+Ukraine+Hit+By+More+Strikes%2C+Top+Russian+General+Assassinated" target="_blank" rel="noopener">arrived</a> in Moscow to speak with President Vladimir Putin and other top Russian officials and push for a peace deal.
“Just landed in Rome. A good day in talks and meetings with Russia and Ukraine,&#8221; the president said. &#8220;They are very close to a deal, and the two sides should now meet, at very high levels, to ‘finish it off.’ Most of the major points are agreed to. Stop the bloodshed, NOW. We will be wherever is necessary to help facilitate the END to this cruel and senseless war!”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Nothing like some tough diplomacy in one of the most beautiful places in the world. <a href="https://t.co/v23MhfVoBJ">pic.twitter.com/v23MhfVoBJ</a>
— Mike Waltz (@michaelgwaltz) <a href="https://twitter.com/michaelgwaltz/status/1916105166484316187?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2025</a></blockquote>
Trump also said earlier on Friday that Zelensky needs to sign a mineral deal with the United States, saying that he was “at least three weeks late.”
“Ukraine, headed by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has not signed the final papers on the very important Rare Earths Deal with the United States,” Trump posted online. “It is at least three weeks late. Hopefully, it will be signed IMMEDIATELY. Work on the overall Peace Deal between Russia and Ukraine is going smoothly. SUCCESS seems to be in the future!”
Leif Le Mahieu contributed to this report.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-lands-in-to-rome-for-pope-francis-funeral-heres-what-to-expect?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Mairead+Elordi&amp;category=News+and+Analysis&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Trump+Lands+In+Rome+For+Pope+Francis%E2%80%99+Funeral.+Here%E2%80%99s+What+To+Expect." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trump Lands In Rome For Pope Francis’ Funeral. Here’s What To Expect.</a>

Funeral Takes Place For Pope Francis

Trump Meets With Zelensky At Vatican Ahead Of Pope’s Funeral: ‘Very Productive’

Global Politics

Italy

World

President Donald Trump has arrived in Rome, where he will attend Pope Francis&#8217; funeral Saturday morning in Vatican City, marking the first foreign trip of his second term.
The funeral comes six days after Francis passed away, the day after Easter, dying at age 88 of a stroke and heart failure after a battle with pneumonia. Since then, tens of thousands of people have come to pay their respects to the late pope as he lay in state at St. Peter&#8217;s Basilica.
The president and First Lady Melania Trump arrived in Rome late Friday night. They will depart early Saturday afternoon after attending the funeral.
Previous Papal Funerals
Trump is only the second sitting president to attend a papal funeral. The first was George W. Bush, who attended the funeral of Pope John Paul II in 2005. President Joe Biden did not attend the funeral of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI in 2023, despite <a href="https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/photos-and-video/photo/2011/06/vice-president-biden-pope" target="_blank" rel="noopener">meeting</a> the former pope as vice president years earlier. Benedict died nine years after resigning as pope in 2013, an unusual move for a modern pope. He was succeeded by Francis.
Photos from that visit show three presidents, Bush, his father, President George H.W. Bush, and President Bill Clinton kneeling in the first pew behind Pope John Paul II&#8217;s body lying in state. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and First Lady Laura Bush kneel near them.
<div id="attachment_912385" style="width: 446px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-912385" class=" wp-image-912385" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-52596002-300x181.jpg" alt="" width="436" height="263" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-52596002-300x181.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-52596002-953x576.jpg 953w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-52596002-768x464.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-52596002.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 436px) 100vw, 436px" />(TIM SLOAN/AFP via Getty Images)</div>
Who Else Will Be There?
Trump met with Pope Francis at the Vatican during his first term in 2017.
Biden met Francis twice: first as vice president in 2016, and during his presidency in 2021. Biden and former first lady Jill Biden will also travel to the Vatican to <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/white-house/3389950/trump-biden-pope-francis-funeral/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">attend</a> Francis&#8217; funeral.
<div id="attachment_912389" style="width: 408px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-912389" class=" wp-image-912389" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2156863278-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="398" height="265" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2156863278-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2156863278-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2156863278-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2156863278.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 398px) 100vw, 398px" />(TIZIANA FABI/AFP via Getty Images)</div>
<div id="attachment_912391" style="width: 406px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-912391" class=" wp-image-912391" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-480808665-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="396" height="264" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-480808665-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-480808665-865x576.jpg 865w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-480808665-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-480808665.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 396px) 100vw, 396px" />(Photo by GABRIEL BOUYS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)</div>
Neither former President Barack Obama nor former President George W. Bush will attend Pope Francis&#8217; funeral. Obama hosted Francis at the White House in 2015, marking the first papal visit to the United States since Pope Benedict in 2008. Francis was only the third pope ever to visit the White House.
Other world leaders who will attend the pope&#8217;s funeral include Javier Milei, president of Francis&#8217; birthplace, Argentina; Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy; British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Prince William; French President Emmanuel Macron; and Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin.
As many as 200,000 people are expected to attend the funeral, the Italian government said.
How The Funeral Will Go
The funeral will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday morning local time, which is 4 a.m. Eastern time in the United States.
Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re will preside over the funeral Mass and deliver the homily, the Vatican said. He is the dean of the College of Cardinals, which will form a conclave next month to install the next pope.
On Friday night, Francis&#8217; coffin was <a href="https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2025-04/pope-francis-coffin-rite-sealing-funeral-mass-novemdiales.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">set</a> to be sealed in a ceremony and closed to the public.
On Saturday morning, the funeral will begin with a procession in St. Peter&#8217;s Basilica, where the coffin will then be brought and set down. The funeral Mass will follow.
The cardinals who attend will be recognizable by their purple liturgical garments, the Vatican <a href="https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2025-04/the-funeral-celebration-of-pope-francis-on-saturday.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
After Mass, the funeral procession will slowly make its way to the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome, a little over two miles away, where Francis frequently went to pray before an icon of Mary. Francis is the first pope to be buried outside the Vatican in over a century. Many popes are buried in the underground crypt beneath St. Peter&#8217;s Basilica.
&#8220;The coffin will be welcomed by &#8216;the last ones,&#8217; a group of poor and marginalized people who always had a special place in Pope Francis&#8217; heart,&#8221; the Vatican said. &#8220;They will be the ones to give the final tribute before the coffin is carried to the altar of Saint Mary Major.&#8221;
The burial will be private and is expected to end around 2:00 p.m. local time or 8:00 a.m. Eastern time.
The last funeral for a sitting pope, John Paul II, was three hours long. Francis&#8217; funeral looks like it will be even longer, around four hours.
The faithful may begin visiting Francis&#8217; tomb on Sunday, the day after the funeral, the Vatican said.
The funeral kicks off nine days of mourning for the late pope, with Mass each day before the cardinals begin their work to select a new occupant of the Chair of Peter.
How Is Francis&#8217; Funeral Different?
Francis&#8217; funeral will look different from his predecessors. That&#8217;s because he himself changed the rules for papal funerals.
Francis will be buried in just one wooden coffin lined with zinc rather than the three coffins some other popes were buried in, which were made of cypress, lead, and oak.
The late pontiff will also be <a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/04/25/nx-s1-5374984/pope-francis-funeral-how-to-watch">buried</a> at the Basilica of St. Mary Major instead of St. Peter&#8217;s Basilica, the first pope in more than 350 years to be buried there since Clement IX.
Francis said in his autobiography published last year that a pope should be buried &#8220;with dignity, but like any Christian, because the bishop of Rome is a pastor and a disciple, not a powerful man of this world.&#8221; He also asked that his tomb be &#8220;in the ground; simple, without particular decoration, and with the sole inscription: Franciscus.&#8221;
Where To Watch
The Vatican News&#8217; YouTube <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@VaticanNews" target="_blank" rel="noopener">channel</a> will livestream the funeral and procession to the burial place.
A number of other news outlets and streaming services also plan to livestream the funeral.

U.S. President Donald Trump in Vatican

Trump Lands In Rome For Pope Francis’ Funeral. Here’s What To Expect.

Here's What To Expect As Trump Attends Pope Francis' Funeral Today

Mourners waiting in line to view the body of Pope Francis as he lies in state inside St. Peter&#8217;s Basilica are complaining about the number of people taking selfies.
The Bishop of Rome passed away on Monday morning, as the Vatican announced, following a prolonged period of poor health. Pope Francis was 88 years old at the time of his death.
Vatican officials released photos of Francis in his velvet-lined coffin on Tuesday. The Holy Father is laid out wearing a red robe with the papal mitre on his head and a rosary intertwined in his hands.
“What did surprise me is the fact that earlier we were told no photos in the Sistine Chapel and here people were getting their phone out and doing selfies with the coffin,” one mourner <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14642673/The-faithful-queueing-selfie-popes-corpse-Mourners-wait-eight-hours-pose-pontiff.html">told</a> the Daily Mail. “I did think that was a bit in poor taste and I’m surprised no one stopped them.”
“I was very moved coming so close to Pope Francis, but it was awful seeing so many people taking pictures,&#8221; another person told The Sun.
“I found the mobile phones very distasteful,” another mourner <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/04/24/world-news/disrespectful-mourners-taking-selfies-with-dead-pope-spark-outrage/">said</a>. “I was very surprised there were photos.”
While photos of the deceased pope are not technically prohibited, many of the thousands of mourners are saying the practice of taking selfies with cell phones or even using selfie sticks is in poor taste. Visitors to St. Peter’s Basilica said sometimes security intervened to stop the photo takers, but other times they did not.
The last time a pope died in office was Pope John Paul II in 2005, before selfies and cell phone cameras were commonplace. The pope who served before Francis, Pope Benedict, resigned voluntarily in 2013 due to stated reasons of advanced age and declining health. He died in 2022.
The Vatican stated that around 50,000 people have lined up to view the body of Pope Francis. They are standing in line for up to eight hours to get a chance to see the Holy Father before his burial this weekend.
Large crowds are expected on Saturday for Pope Francis’ funeral in St. Peter&#8217;s Square. Some famous attendees are expected to include President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and Prince William, heir to the British throne.
Per the late pope&#8217;s wishes, Francis will be buried at the Basilica of St Mary Major in Rome, which is a departure from <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/funeral-for-pope-francis-will-deviate-from-tradition">tradition</a>. Popes have typically been laid to rest in the crypt of St. Peter’s Basilica, but the late pope opted to be interred at St. Mary Major due to the “very strong” connection he had there.

Mourners Complain After Some People Taking Selfies With Late Pope Francis

Death

Rome

Vice President JD Vance refused to politicize the death of Pope Francis as he spoke with reporters on Wednesday, arguing that the pope was a &#8220;great Christian pastor.&#8221;
The vice president said he was saddened by the pope&#8217;s death as he spoke with reporters in Agra, India, acknowledging that he was one of the last people to meet with the pontiff, but saying he had no idea that Pope Francis had less than 24 hours left on earth when the two met in Rome on Sunday.
In his last Easter address, Pope Francis <a href="https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/messages/urbi/documents/20250420-urbi-et-orbi-pasqua.html">condemned</a> “how much contempt is stirred up at times towards the vulnerable, the marginalized and migrants&#8221; and warned against leaders who “yield to the logic of fear.&#8221; The late pontiff <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/deportation-schism-why-leftist-catholics-are-at-odds-with-churchs-long-standing-view-on-immigration">also pushed back against</a> President Donald Trump&#8217;s deportation plans ahead of the president&#8217;s inauguration.
&#8220;I appeal to all those in positions of political responsibility in our world not to yield to the logic of fear which only leads to isolation from others, but rather to use the resources available to help the needy, to fight hunger and to encourage initiatives that promote development,&#8221; the pope said in his final address. &#8220;These are the &#8216;weapons&#8217; of peace: weapons that build the future, instead of sowing seeds of death!&#8221;
&#8220;A lot of people, especially in the American press want to make the Holy Father, his entire legacy, and even his death, about American politics,&#8221; Vance told reporters on Wednesday. &#8220;I think he was obviously a much broader figure than the United States of America, he represents over a billion Catholics worldwide.&#8221;
<div id="attachment_911205" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/vance-refuses-to-politicize-pope-francis-death-not-going-to-soil-the-mans-legacy/u-s-vice-president-vance-visits-italy-and-india-4" rel="attachment wp-att-911205"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-911205" class="wp-image-911205 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2211102876-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2211102876-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2211102876-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2211102876-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2211102876.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" /></a>Vice President JD Vance and Pope Francis. (Photo by Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Images)</div>
&#8220;Yes,&#8221; he added, &#8220;I&#8217;m aware that he had some disagreements with some of the policies of our administration. He also had a lot of agreements with the policies of our administration. I&#8217;m not going to soil the man&#8217;s legacy by talking about politics. I think he was a great Christian pastor, and that&#8217;s how I choose to remember the Holy Father.&#8221;
Asked if he would like to see the next pope continue in Pope Francis&#8217; tradition, he laughed and responded, &#8220;I won&#8217;t pretend to give guidance to the cardinals on who they should select as the next pope. We have plenty of issues to focus on in the United States. I&#8217;ll just say a prayer for wisdom, because I obviously want them to pick the right person. I want them to pick someone who will be good for the world&#8217;s Catholics, but I&#8217;ll let them make that decision.&#8221;
President Donald Trump announced on Monday in a Truth Social post that he will attend the funeral of Pope Francis,  &#8220;Melania and I will be going to the funeral of Pope Francis, in Rome. We look forward to being there!” The president will depart the United States for Rome on Friday afternoon.
His announcement came after he ordered federal and state flags to fly at half-staff in memory of Pope Francis.
“As a mark of respect for the memory of His Holiness Pope Francis, by the authority vested in me as President of the United States by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby order that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions until sunset, on the day of interment,” Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114376655236734018">wrote in a separate post</a>.
He added: “I also direct that the flag shall be flown at half-staff for the same length of time at all United States embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad, including all military facilities and naval vessels and stations.”

U.S. Vice President Vance Visits Italy And India

Vance Refuses To Politicize Pope Francis’ Death: ‘Not Going To Soil The Man’s Legacy’

As we lay to rest <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/pope-francis">Pope Francis</a>, a man entrusted with the astonishing task of leading <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/262883/worldwide-catholic-population-hits-14-billion#:~:text=Concretely%2C%20there%20has%20been%20a,to%20281%20million%20in%202023." target="_blank" rel="noopener">1.4 billion</a> Catholics worldwide, we must acknowledge that he was a pope who inspired devotion and yet also disillusionment.
The first non-European pope in over a millennium, the first Jesuit to hold the Chair of Peter, and the first to take the name Francis — after the saint of humility and radical poverty — he came to the papacy with the power of symbolism already at his side. But symbols alone do not make a legacy. His pontificate has been marked by deep paradoxes, extraordinary global events, and the unrelenting scrutiny of a digital age that magnifies every gesture, every silence, and every word into global significance.
Pope Francis led the Catholic Church at a time when questions of identity, history, and moral authority were being fiercely renegotiated across every sphere of public life. From the rise of “woke” ideology and the deconstruction of long-standing societal structures, to the counter currents of cultural revivalism and nationalist pushback, the world around the Church was changing — faster and more fundamentally than ever.
To that world, he showed incredible, compelling pastoral sensibility by embracing the very sick, the downtrodden, before the eyes of the world, making him a beloved figure among so many.
No moment captured the spiritual loneliness and universal leadership of Francis more than the evening of March 27, 2020. As the world reeled from the shock of a global pandemic, Francis <a href="https://catholicvote.org/when-pope-francis-became-a-solitary-beacon-of-hope-during-the-worst-days-of-the-covid-pandemic/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stood utterly alone</a> in the rain-drenched emptiness of St. Peter’s Square. His solitary figure, small under the weight of a sodden white cassock, illuminated by the flickering torches before the Eucharist, became an icon of global grief — and hope. He did not thunder. He prayed. He did not offer a solution. He stood there in the silence of that unforgettable moment.
<div id="attachment_911243" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-911243" class="size-large wp-image-911243" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/MixCollage-23-Apr-2025-11-10-AM-5561-1024x576.jpg" alt="Pope Francis gives an extraordianry urbi et orbi blessing in St. Peter's Square, March 27, 2020. | Credit: Vatican Media" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/MixCollage-23-Apr-2025-11-10-AM-5561-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/MixCollage-23-Apr-2025-11-10-AM-5561-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/MixCollage-23-Apr-2025-11-10-AM-5561-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/MixCollage-23-Apr-2025-11-10-AM-5561-1536x865.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/MixCollage-23-Apr-2025-11-10-AM-5561-2048x1153.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Credit: Vatican Media</div>
Yet while he insisted Church doctrine could not and would not be changed, many weary Catholics saw how he loosened the uniquely stalwart position of the Catholic church on issues related to marriage and family. 
On one hand, he condemned abortion, equating it to <a href="https://catholicvote.org/throughout-his-pontificate-a-look-at-pope-francis-statements-on-abortion/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;hiring a hitman&#8221;</a> and <a href="https://catholicvote.org/pope-francis-strongly-warned-against-ideological-colonization-gender/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">denounced gender ideology</a>; but more than once he gave a <a href="https://catholicvote.org/pope-francis-writes-preface-fr-james-martins-book-about-lazarus/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">disturbing nod</a> to ministries aimed at changing Church doctrine over gay &#8220;marriage&#8221; and transgenderism, including his brief <a href="https://outreach.faith/2022/05/pope-francis-speaks-to-lgbtq-catholics/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">exchange</a> with Father James Martin, the founder of the LGBT Catholic ministry, Outreach.
Pope Francis’ handling of clerical sex abuse was also marked by troubling contradictions. On one hand, he <a href="https://www.usccb.org/news/2023/pope-issues-updated-vos-estis-text-handling-abuse-cases" target="_blank" rel="noopener">established clearer procedures</a> for investigating abuse and holding bishops accountable and publicly condemned the culture of cover-ups that protected abusers. On the other hand, his actions in high-profile cases like those of <a href="https://www.ncregister.com/cna/father-marko-rupnik-accused-of-abuse-and-returned-to-ministry-a-timeline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fr. Marko Rupnik</a> and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/04/argentine-catholic-bishop-gustavo-zanchetta-sentenced-sexual-abuse-pope-francis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bishop Gustavo Zanchetta</a> raise serious questions about consistency and impartiality.
Perhaps more than any other pontiff before him, Pope Francis lived his entire papacy inside the glass house of modern social media. Every homily, every off-the-cuff remark, and even every carefully crafted document was instantly dissected by millions across ideological, religious, and national divides, though it was often his informality in communication that blurred clarity, allowing ideologues across the spectrum to weaponize his words.
In the echo chambers of the internet, he was often cast simultaneously as a reformer and a betrayer, a prophet and a populist, a revolutionary and a regressive. The speed with which opinions formed around his leadership was unprecedented — and sometimes uncharitable.
In his many interviews and press conferences that often required follow-ups or clarifications, it is clear that he perceived himself as a pope who stood at the crossroads of history amidst the noise of clashing narratives.
In many ways, his legacy will be as divided as his papacy. To his supporters, he will be the “Pope of the Peripheries,” to his critics, the Pope of Ambiguity, leaving behind a trail of confusion and even division that his successor in the papacy will have to deal with.
Francis reminded us that the Pope is both a man and a sign — fragile, flawed, and beloved. We now pray not only for his soul but for the Church he leaves behind: wounded in places and always in need of shepherds who speak with both his tenderness but also with the clarity of truth.
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Kelsey Reinhardt is Director of Media and Evangelization for CatholicVote.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
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