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Thursday, on the second day of voting, the papal conclave selected Cardinal Robert Francis to serve as the next pope. Many online were quick to scrutinize the Pope, discovering a past characterized by conservative theology and criticism of President Trump. What do you think of this new faith leader?
From The Washington Times. President Trump was quick to celebrate the historic election of Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as Pope Leo XIV: the first American to ascend to the papacy.
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“Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope,” President Trump wrote on Truth Social. “It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!” …
The response across X came fast and loud, mixing patriotism, disbelief, jokes and early ideological debate. …
“This is huge,” wrote National Review commentator Kayla Bartsch on X. “I still can’t believe they elected an American.”
Republican Matthew Foldi chimed in on X: “It looks like the new Pope is: An American. A Republican. I’m thinking we’re back.” …
The tone on the right has been celebratory, but not without caveats. …
“According to his X/Twitter feed, the newly selected pope trashed Trump, trashed Vance, trashed border enforcement, endorsed DREAMer-style illegal immigration, repeatedly praised and honored George Floyd, and endorsed a Democrat senator’s call for more gun control,” wrote conservative commentator Sean Davis.
While the conclave met, we encouraged believers to pray over the selection process with our new resource, Praying about the Next Pope. Now that a new pope has been selected, we felt it would be helpful to pray through that resource’s prayer points again, this time with Pope Leo XIV in mind.
- Pray that Pope Leo XIV will embrace the true teachings of the Word of God and promote biblical positions as he leads the Catholic church.
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable (Romans 12:2).
- Pray that Pope Leo XIV would seek to hear God’s voice.
Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known (Jeremiah 33:3).
- Pray there would be a shift in the positions of the cardinals of the church, bringing soft conservatives and conservatives in the majority.
For “Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil” (1 Peter 3:10-12).
- Pray that Pope Leo XIV would hold a strong biblical stance specifically on the protection of life, biblical identity, religious freedom, personal responsibility, and worshipping the Creator not the created.
Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus (Revelation 14:12).
What do you think of Pope Leo XIV? Share your thoughts and prayers below.
(Excerpt from The Washington Times. Photo Credit: ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty Images)