Dear Parishioners,
Many of you will have been deeply troubled this week by Donald Trump’s outlandish remarks about Pope Leo, as well as by his AI-generated image depicting himself in the likeness of Christ, drawing explicitly on the imagery of the Divine Mercy. You would be right to be shocked, as I was: this enters into the sphere of blasphemy and heresy. Indeed, in Daniel 4:30, we learn of Nebuchadnezzar, who in his pride exalted himself above God. This reveals how easily human ambition can distort what is holy.
Trump’s attacks against Pope Leo were deeply disrespectful, and are an insult to our spiritual leader and shepherd, who responded: “Enough of the idolatry of self and money! Enough of the display of power! Enough of war! True strength is shown in serving life.” Throughout the week the insults escalated, with JD Vance questioning Pope Leo’s understanding of the Just War Theory; he was unequivocally corrected by the US Bishops, who said: “When Pope Leo XIV speaks as supreme pastor of the Universal Church, he is not merely offering opinions on theology…he is exercising his ministry as the Vicar of Christ”. The Pope later said that “a handful of tyrants…turn a blind eye to the fact that billions of dollars are spent on killing and devastation, yet the resources needed for healing, education and restoration are nowhere to be found.” Indeed: $11 million dollars of funding to Catholic charities in Miami, which shelter migrant children, was subsequently cancelled.
Trump and his supporters (and it is regrettable that some amongst them are purported Catholics) claim that criticism against them comes from the far Left. However, disgust at his remarks and of his co-opting of Catholic imagery has come from many sides, including from his ally, Italy’s prime minister Giorgia Meloni, who said: “I find President Trump’s words toward the Holy Father unacceptable. The pope is the head of the Catholic church, and it is right and proper that he calls for peace and condemns all forms of war.”
It is not just Christians whom Trump has insulted. To Muslims, Jesus is a prophet, hence the response from Iran’s president Masoud Pezeshkian: “On behalf of the great nation of Iran, I condemn the insult to Your Excellency and declare that the desecration of Jesus (peace be upon him), the prophet of peace and brotherhood, is unacceptable to any free person.” When so many voices, irrespective of their political enmity, converge in defence of the dignity of Christ and His Church, it reminds us that truth is not the preserve of one political camp or another. It also highlights the importance of interfaith dialogue. The very fact that Pope Leo has been in Algeria this week praying alongside Muslim leaders is an example of how, despite our different beliefs, shared reverence for God can be a bridge rather than a battleground.
Aptly for this period of Eastertide, we remember that Jesus’ first words to His disciples after the
Resurrection were: “Peace be with you” (John 20:19). At every Mass, we echo this greeting with the sign of peace. Yet instead we are hearing the ‘leaders of the free world’ sewing discord and confusion. Some have pointed to the ‘good’ that Trump has done in promoting select Christian causes, making him a favourite with some Christian US voters. But we would do well to understand that a deeper pattern is at work: spiritual warfare and the manipulation of religious language, not for God’s kingdom, but for earthly power and personal political ambitions, i.e. to ‘divide and conquer’. Scripture warns us: “God is not a God of confusion but of peace” (1 Corinthians 14:33). When confusion reigns, we must ask: whose voice are we truly hearing?
We may think this is something happening ‘over there’ (in America, or the Middle East). But the seeds of discord can take root anywhere, even within our own communities. Fear, suspicion, and anger can quietly shape our thoughts and actions, as we often see in our own politics. We might look at all the problems in the world and feel deep anxiety and despondency. But remember: “Perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4:18). We are not powerless: God has given us free will. We all have it within us to take action, however small may be our sphere of influence.
First, we must pray. As Pope Leo has urged, we are to pray for peace. Padre Pio once said, “Pray, hope, and don’t worry. Worry is useless. God is merciful and will hear your prayer.” When all hope seems lost, prayer is our recourse. Second, we must live the Gospel in our daily lives. We must forgive one another; that is one of the basics that we teach children at school. Jesus teaches us to forgive “seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:22). In a world that thrives on outrage, forgiveness is a radical act.
Third, we must be discerning. Not everything we read or hear deserves our trust. We should ask ourselves: does this reflect the voice of Christ? Or is it feeding fear and division? We must remember: those who profit from outrage (whether politicians or social media platforms who profit monetarily from clicks) benefit from our anger. But the Holy Spirit is there to guide us to the truth (John 16:13). We must listen. St Maximilian Kolbe said: “No one in the world can change Truth. What we can do and should do is to seek truth and to serve it when we have found it”.
Fourth, we must care for the poor. This includes recognising climate poverty, as Pope Francis consistently reminded us. As Jesus said: “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40).
Fifth, we are beholden to examine our conscience. Often it is our own fears and insecurities that lead us to prejudice. We are swept up in rhetoric that gives us temporary reprieve from feelings of fear – of change or loss of status perhaps. But deep down, we know something is not right. In the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37), Jesus challenges us to see beyond boundaries and ask “Who is my neighbour”?
Finally, do not look up to phoney idols, but to the saints. The Catholic tradition is rich with men and women who lived the Gospel with courage and humility. In a time when false prophets are in abundance, the witness of the saints calls us back to what truly matters.
Last week, while politicians were sewing discord and hate, Artemis II astronaut Victor Glover said from space: “In all of this emptiness … you have this oasis, this beautiful place that we get to exist in together”. It calls to mind the words of St Julian of Norwich, who said 700 years ago in her Revelations of Divine Love: “[God] showed me a little thing the size of a hazelnut, in the palm of my hand, and it was as round as a ball. I looked at it with my mind’s eye and I thought, ‘What can this be?’ And the answer came, ‘It is all that is made’… and all things have being through the love of God.” We should not give up hope and we must find a way to share this world, protect it, and live in peace together. Hope is a gift of the Holy Spirit.
Let us ask ourselves: how can we spread hope and love here, in our own parish? Perhaps it begins with a kind word, a listening ear, a refusal to engage in division. Small acts, rooted in love, have a power far greater than we realise. And in all things, let us return to Christ, who is “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). And let us never forget that “Peace, perfect peace, is the gift of Christ our Lord”.