I'm definitely closer to Dr. Kwasniewski's (or Anthony's of the Avoiding Babylon show or Nick Cavazos' view) than most of the others, but I feel like I've been drawn along by an overenthusiastic, overhopeful crowd into net positive feelings.
How are you feeling about it today versus Thursday or yesterday?
Thanks for the article, by the way! That's a good, helpful profile that offers some hope. I kind of wish I'd paid more attention to Cardinal Prevost before he was elected!
It took me a long time to get to this comment because I wanted to sit down and be able to elaborate as much as was needed. It's been a roller-coaster in terms of my feelings for Leo XIV. At 19, the only reigning Pope I have consciously known is Pope Francis. I think I started to be conscious of the Pope with his [Francis's] election, since I remember the day he was elected clearly. I loved Pope Francis, but only in the way of duty -- and it was often hard for me to make myself love him as I should because he was my father. To me, a Pope whom I could love was nothing other than a product of my imagination; something I dreamt about, but never knew. The day you asked me how I felt, I was still feeling cautiously hopeful, as I am now, though I will admit there have been times when it has been hard (very hard!) to not get excited. I am simply trying not to make false hopes for myself because I know how things went under Francis: he was a "great conservative" in the eyes of most Catholics until a couple of years into his pontificate. Like most Trads, I have PTSD from that pontificate and fear it will happen again. The things that discourage me the most are his first speech where he mentioned synodality, and the fact that he continues to mention that term (and "dialogue") very often. However, as wise commentators have said before, we could not expect Pius X as Pope. We shouldn't have to, but because of the situation in the Church I guess we must, in some way, make allowances because most of the Cardinals these days are products of their times. The things that encourage me are his vestments, and the good statements he's made lately, particularly yesterday's on marriage when he set the internet on fire. I have been more excited about him because of this. It's so wonderful to finally have a Pope who says things like that (isn't it ironic how him doing something so small as saying the truth is so exciting because of how bad the last twelve years were?). So yes, still cautiously optimistic and not going fully overboard here, but still allowing for a reasonable amount of excitement where it's due. Like you, my take is pretty much Anthony's and Nick's. So you watch Avoiding Babylon, too?
Yep, I just started listening to Avoiding Babylon recently, having discovered them via Nick as well as some mutual friends.
Their takes seem the most reasonable to me, but I guess that could be tautological because I happen to agree with them at present and we always think our own opinions are reasonable.
I remember Pope Benedict somewhat, but I was rather young then so I also feel like most of my more serious Catholic life has been under a state of siege.
Early signs are still mostly positive but leaning in the direction of Leo XIV being more like a new John Paul II who addresses some of the worst of the problems at the surface but doesn't address anywhere near all of them at their root.
At least, I think we’re headed to a place with comfortable breathing space and peace within as well as the ability to more easily defend the Church in apologetics externally.
Ah, great! I love the AB boys. I've been listening to them since last summer.
I agree. With what we have seen in the last few days with how he intends to handle the ecumenism issue, it does seem like he will be a JP3.
Yes, if we will no longer be living under a Holy Father who constantly attacks traditional Catholics, we are in a better situation than we used to be. We can at least live our spiritual lives properly, and more people can find true Catholicism because the availability of the TLM might be more stable (I say "might" because it's all up to the bishops, and we already saw one killed off in the last few days).
The one thing I lament the most about the situation we're in is the division it has set up among the Trads. There's no rule that we have to agree on everything, but it seems like we are all scattered -- some have already written off the Pope as bad, others are rejoicing over him as if he were the second coming of Pius X. Does this mean that even some Trads would become popesplainers this time around, were Leo to suddenly turn out to be another Francis? Will we all not be able to admit when he does something wrong, if he does it? I mean, I want him to be good -- desperately --, so I understand where these people are coming from, but I'm wondering if this will fracture the Trad movement even more. I hope not. We should be able to admit when something is wrong or right regardless of personal hopes or desires.
Thank you. I think the person I feel bad for the most right now is Bishop Strickland, given what happened to him. I hope there were mitigating circumstances in the whole mess involving his abrupt removal that made it someone else's fault other than Prevost's.
I guess I'm a Kwasniewskite. 😂 This was great! It sums up the confusion I'm feeling perfectly!
I'm definitely closer to Dr. Kwasniewski's (or Anthony's of the Avoiding Babylon show or Nick Cavazos' view) than most of the others, but I feel like I've been drawn along by an overenthusiastic, overhopeful crowd into net positive feelings.
How are you feeling about it today versus Thursday or yesterday?
This article is somewhat consoling and hopeful: https://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2025/05/leo-xiv-man-priest-and-bishop-who-is-he.html
Thanks for the article, by the way! That's a good, helpful profile that offers some hope. I kind of wish I'd paid more attention to Cardinal Prevost before he was elected!
It took me a long time to get to this comment because I wanted to sit down and be able to elaborate as much as was needed. It's been a roller-coaster in terms of my feelings for Leo XIV. At 19, the only reigning Pope I have consciously known is Pope Francis. I think I started to be conscious of the Pope with his [Francis's] election, since I remember the day he was elected clearly. I loved Pope Francis, but only in the way of duty -- and it was often hard for me to make myself love him as I should because he was my father. To me, a Pope whom I could love was nothing other than a product of my imagination; something I dreamt about, but never knew. The day you asked me how I felt, I was still feeling cautiously hopeful, as I am now, though I will admit there have been times when it has been hard (very hard!) to not get excited. I am simply trying not to make false hopes for myself because I know how things went under Francis: he was a "great conservative" in the eyes of most Catholics until a couple of years into his pontificate. Like most Trads, I have PTSD from that pontificate and fear it will happen again. The things that discourage me the most are his first speech where he mentioned synodality, and the fact that he continues to mention that term (and "dialogue") very often. However, as wise commentators have said before, we could not expect Pius X as Pope. We shouldn't have to, but because of the situation in the Church I guess we must, in some way, make allowances because most of the Cardinals these days are products of their times. The things that encourage me are his vestments, and the good statements he's made lately, particularly yesterday's on marriage when he set the internet on fire. I have been more excited about him because of this. It's so wonderful to finally have a Pope who says things like that (isn't it ironic how him doing something so small as saying the truth is so exciting because of how bad the last twelve years were?). So yes, still cautiously optimistic and not going fully overboard here, but still allowing for a reasonable amount of excitement where it's due. Like you, my take is pretty much Anthony's and Nick's. So you watch Avoiding Babylon, too?
Yep, I just started listening to Avoiding Babylon recently, having discovered them via Nick as well as some mutual friends.
Their takes seem the most reasonable to me, but I guess that could be tautological because I happen to agree with them at present and we always think our own opinions are reasonable.
I remember Pope Benedict somewhat, but I was rather young then so I also feel like most of my more serious Catholic life has been under a state of siege.
Early signs are still mostly positive but leaning in the direction of Leo XIV being more like a new John Paul II who addresses some of the worst of the problems at the surface but doesn't address anywhere near all of them at their root.
At least, I think we’re headed to a place with comfortable breathing space and peace within as well as the ability to more easily defend the Church in apologetics externally.
Ah, great! I love the AB boys. I've been listening to them since last summer.
I agree. With what we have seen in the last few days with how he intends to handle the ecumenism issue, it does seem like he will be a JP3.
Yes, if we will no longer be living under a Holy Father who constantly attacks traditional Catholics, we are in a better situation than we used to be. We can at least live our spiritual lives properly, and more people can find true Catholicism because the availability of the TLM might be more stable (I say "might" because it's all up to the bishops, and we already saw one killed off in the last few days).
The one thing I lament the most about the situation we're in is the division it has set up among the Trads. There's no rule that we have to agree on everything, but it seems like we are all scattered -- some have already written off the Pope as bad, others are rejoicing over him as if he were the second coming of Pius X. Does this mean that even some Trads would become popesplainers this time around, were Leo to suddenly turn out to be another Francis? Will we all not be able to admit when he does something wrong, if he does it? I mean, I want him to be good -- desperately --, so I understand where these people are coming from, but I'm wondering if this will fracture the Trad movement even more. I hope not. We should be able to admit when something is wrong or right regardless of personal hopes or desires.
Fr Mike: isn’t it great to be a Catholic. So funny, you nailed it. It’s funny and it’s true. It’s great to be a Catholic today and everyday ⚔️
Very true. Fr. Mike Schmitz is always so insufferably positive! Often, it's just stating the obvious.
Hilarious!
Thank you. I think the person I feel bad for the most right now is Bishop Strickland, given what happened to him. I hope there were mitigating circumstances in the whole mess involving his abrupt removal that made it someone else's fault other than Prevost's.