Da Techguy's (no longer backup) Blog

Let’s be very blunt. I have no idea how Pope Leo XIV is going to work out, I can make a guess or two but that’s all it is, a guess.

If he wanted to be a Francis clone he could have taken the name Francis II, he didn’t.

If he wanted to be another John Paul II he could have taken the name John Paul III, he didn’t.

Until he actually does something we don’t know how the spirit will work in him, what his past will say about him or anything else.

At the age of 69 we’ll likely have many many years to judge how good a job he does, it’s also very possible that he will be the last pope I see in my lifetime.

He could be a saint, he could be a disaster, he could be an ordinary average pope (we haven’t really had one of those in my lifetime) or he could have a huge footprint on the world and the church for good or ill. I don’t know which it will be. Nor do I know how much his experiences as an Augustinian & a Canon Lawyer (both positives to me) will effect how he does things.

What I do know is this:

He’s the Pope, the head of the church elected by the college of cardinals per the laws of the church. He can trace a direct line from his pontificate to St. Peter. He’s the man in charge and if you’re going to start attacking & condemning the new Pope less than three hours after he’s been proclaimed, you’re doing the faith wrong.

There is a word for a Catholic that doesn’t respect the decision of the college of cardinals: “Protestant”.

Let’s not fall into the spiritual pride trap that the enemy wants, instead let’s both pray that we avoid it and pray for the new pope because if you think the enemy has you in his sights that goes 1000 times for any pope.

For the record it’s my belief that a Pope has two primary functions:

1. Keep the faithful on the right track toward Christ
2. Nudge the unfaithful or the non-Catholic on the right Track toward Christ

That’s the job.

What’s our job as the faithful? This:

Be a good catholic, pray, go to mass, receive the sacraments regularly and love your neighbor as Christ commands. Keep being and doing that and you’ll be fine no matter who the pope is.

That’s the secret.