Pope Leo XIV used part of his Palm Sunday message to castigate the United States for attempting to stop Iran from becoming a nuclear power and threatening the world with mass destruction. In doing so, the “American Pope” confused the real enemy in the war.
Addressing thousands in St. Peter’s Square, the pope claimed God rejects the prayers of leaders who wage war. He called the Iran war “atrocious” violence that cannot be justified by faith. He further said God doesn’t hear the prayers of people whose “hands (are) full of blood.” Does he not include Iran’s maniacal regime which has murdered Americans directly and through proxies, as well as tens of thousands of their own people? Does the pope believe the Muslim god doesn’t hear prayers asking him to destroy Jews, Israel and the United States?
The pope favors “diplomacy” over war, but you can’t negotiate with evil. Recall how that worked with Adolf Hitler in Munich and more recently with North Korea, which has nuclear weapons because several American presidents refused to do what President Trump is doing to Iran.
Leo said Jesus is the “King of Peace” and is deaf to those initiating armed conflict, citing the Book of Isaiah. He ignores the bloody conflicts between the Israelites and many tribes and nations God directly ordered them to kill (even children) in order to claim the Promised Land.
The pope also suggested no one can use God to justify war. This appeared to be a direct response to Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, who had prayed for “overwhelming violence” in the name of Jesus earlier in the week. He’s right about that, but would the pope also condemn Iran’s leaders for claiming to know the will of their god? Vladimir Putin is targeting civilians in Ukraine, and Nigerian Muslims are killing Christians by the thousands. The pope is not known for highlighting those atrocities. In his view it appears only America is doing evil things.