John Paul II being Polish...

[Ned Low]

... made things more difficult for oppressive Polish leaders. Was this a consideration, perhaps, for choosing an American pope?

[Gore1FL]

1. I think the decision had little to do with geopolitical issues and much to do with the direction of the Catholic Church.

They do their own thing for their own reasons.

[mopinko]

7. agreed.

the american church is in trouble. it’s also where the money is.
hopefully he groks that the reason is pedo priests, and does something, hell, anything, about that.

[H2O Man]

2. Good call.

Recommended.

I think that another factor was that Leo, like Francis, is an advocate of liberation theology. That fits your point like a glove. It is important that the American Cathoplic community step up to confront the christian nationalist maga movement.

[boston bean]

4. Let me tell you there are so many priests preaching rw politics v the teachings of Jesus

It has turned so many away. Never mind the pedophilia.

It is just awful. I am not going y9 mass to listen to a Fox News program.

[H2O Man]

6. Oh, absolutely!

I recognize that. I have a lot of friends who are still Catholic, and lots who are former Catholic. I'm a "former" who was involved in investigating a case two jobs ago. It was back two jobs ago, when the church merely shuffled the offending priest to the next town after a 3-month "retreat." Reported in the media until noon, when it disappeared. Also, my late uncle, one of two Senior BCI detectives (both former) became a PI after retiring, and investigated some cases that were covered by the media. So I know the sins of the church.

But I also know the good part of the community. I worked with Daniel and Phillip Berrigan, with James Murphy (a priest & NYS assemblyman active in jail reform until the pope told priests to get out of politics, and he left the church). I know men and women -- some of a great variety of faiths and atheists like my late friend Rubin -- who advocate liberation theology.

I have very, very, ultra-extremely not attended mass since I was a young teen, who applied my school-skipping skills to church.

[Renew Deal]

3. From what I read from Dolan and another American, probably not

They said that he was seen as a global citizen

[UTUSN]

5. Said he didn't know him, was asked by Italian cardinals about "American cardinal" & didn't think of him as that.

Now that the media anchors' frenzy of "American pope" is wearing off, I'm in a phase of prophet-in-his-own-land, like, hearing his two brothers talking like regular 'murican dudes about baseball, it sort of takes away the mystery and makes me go Huh-him-really?

But DOLAN is an un-reformed fraternizer with corrupt a-holes, is one of them.

[canetoad]

8. I believe so

The lunacy being carried out by this administration is a very real danger to world peace. A protege of Francis from America ticks all the boxes.