General Discussion

AverageOldGuy

(4,059 posts)

17. It's not just Trump's attack on the Pope

Wed Apr 15, 2026, 05:10 PM

Apr 15

Remember -- a couple of days after Trump launched his attack on the Pope, this happened.

A peculiar meeting at the Pentagon between apostolic nuncio Cardinal Christophe Pierre, who serves as Pope Leo XIV's U.S. representative, and a senior Department of Defense official has led to a flurry of speculation and concern about the relationship between the Pentagon and the Vatican.

The January meeting was first reported by The Free Press earlier this week, which claimed Pentagon officials warned the Vatican "the United States has the military power to do whatever it wants" and the Catholic Church should take its side. Within hours, the report sparked statements from U.S. and Vatican officials, with varying accounts and interpretations of the meeting emerging over the next day as a wave of discourse erupted among Vatican-watchers and other Catholics.

https://www.ncronline.org/news/unusual-pentagon-vatican-meeting-sparks-intrigue-denials-and-whispers-diplomatic-clash

Trump attacks the Pope, Hegseth's lap dogs attack senior Catholic clergy who -- Thank God! -- fired back and did not back down.

Which brings us to this question: At what point will Trump send his private army -- ICE -- into churches?

And what will you do when it's your church? At my church I will be one of those barring the doors and they will have to beat the shit out of me to get me out of the way.

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BREAKING: The U.S. bishops' Committee on Doctrine just issued a formal statement defending Pope Leo XIV's teaching... [View all] demmiblue Apr 15 OP

Great, I love it. Now let's talk about women in the/your church. efhmc Apr 15 #1

yeah, ok. can we focus for just a minute on what the Catholic Church is in the present getting right? MadameButterfly Apr 15 #33

My bet is that they will never address this issue because they firmly believe we are less than men. Unless we are needed efhmc Apr 16 #47

LEt's talk about how Southern Baptists azureblue Apr 16 #56

Let's stay on topic! Grins Apr 15 #40

Can we avoid getting diverted from the topic at hand? summer_in_TX Apr 16 #48

Let's talk about women in the oval office first. ck4829 Apr 16 #55

This is crazy obamanut2012 Apr 15 #2

It's such an unfamiliar feeling. I'm really impressed with them. Scrivener7 Apr 15 #5

Pope Leo is a good guy MustLoveBeagles Apr 15 #10

For a Bears fan! BidenRocks Apr 16 #59

We're catholic too - just not with a capital C TommyT139 Apr 15 #25

The Pope is basing his tenet on azureblue Apr 16 #57

They'll still vote for Trump who is evil personified. Irish_Dem Apr 15 #3

I know a lot of Catholics who vote D FakeNoose Apr 15 #7

All the Catholics I know are staunch dyed in the wool MAGAs. Irish_Dem Apr 15 #20

Joe Biden is Catholic Bristlecone Apr 15 #37

Unfortunately I do not run in the same circles as Joe Biden and his pals. Irish_Dem Apr 15 #39

So is Martin Sheen xmas74 Apr 15 #45

You need to get out more. Grins Apr 15 #41

There were a lot of Catholics where I used to live. Irish_Dem Apr 15 #43

My family is full of Democratic Catholics Sympthsical Apr 16 #50

I feel you............... Lovie777 Apr 16 #52

That is also my experience mountain grammy Apr 16 #53

I recall some surveys I saw years ago . . . AverageOldGuy Apr 15 #21

The church may have forbade it radical noodle Apr 16 #58

I hope by "they" you're not speaking of Catholics whathehell Apr 15 #29

Poll from 3 years ago Wiz Imp Apr 16 #61

Wow. This would be wonderful. Irish_Dem Apr 16 #62

Not that I give a shit but Shady is malaise Apr 15 #4

Maybe that's the Couch Botherer's long game? VTderry Apr 15 #9

Love it malaise Apr 15 #16

Lol. But then again, B.See Apr 15 #35

"That's crazy. They would never do that." no longer applies for even the most outrageous possibilities. VTderry Apr 17 #63

American Catholics are not a monolithic group, whathehell Apr 15 #30

PRECISELY B.See Apr 15 #36

Let's not put this on Catholics MadameButterfly Apr 15 #34

Good to see the U.S. Bishops start to wake up. themaguffin Apr 15 #6

Some claim this is a Christian Nation. multigraincracker Apr 15 #8

Sane Christians still believe in the separation of Church and State TommyT139 Apr 15 #26

Most of the signers of the Constitution multigraincracker Apr 15 #42

Let's not..Up until relatively recently whathehell Apr 15 #31

This of course must be explained to the sociopath in Chief. Passages Apr 15 #11

Accomplices to crime. Six "Catholicks" of note usonian Apr 15 #12

Two "Catholicks" of Greater note.. whathehell Apr 15 #38

Are the prediction markets taking any line on a Trump War with the Vatican? rurallib Apr 15 #13

JD seems to have bought in to the Nativist/Klanner Warpy Apr 15 #14

Good. I wish they had been a defender of Pope Francis Raven123 Apr 15 #15

It's not just Trump's attack on the Pope AverageOldGuy Apr 15 #17

ICE arrests in churches TommyT139 Apr 15 #27

I might not be a believer anymore LostOne4Ever Apr 15 #18

Trump doesn't engage in the concept of "just war". patphil Apr 15 #19

Well, trump is bigger than Jesus. C Moon Apr 15 #22

No, that was the Beatles... nt Another Jackalope Apr 15 #32

Excommunicate Jethro!! paleotn Apr 15 #23

Thank you, Bishops. spanone Apr 15 #24

Direct link to statement TommyT139 Apr 15 #28

Journalist Mike Barnicle had an interesting thought today during his time... 3catwoman3 Apr 15 #44

There might be some truth to that. Haggard Celine Apr 16 #49

Excommunicate the apostate! nt Xipe Totec Apr 15 #46

I did not have "pick a fight with Catholics" on my bingo card Sympthsical Apr 16 #51

K&R ck4829 Apr 16 #54

The Pope is a theologian - has been his whole life WyLoochka Apr 16 #60