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  21. <title>Don Trump and the world of slimy favours</title>
  22. <link>https://themoderatevoice.com/don-trump-and-the-world-of-slimy-favours/</link>
  23. <comments>https://themoderatevoice.com/don-trump-and-the-world-of-slimy-favours/#respond</comments>
  25. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Richard Barry, Associate Editor - Politics and the Arts]]></dc:creator>
  26. <pubDate>Sun, 11 May 2025 15:24:38 +0000</pubDate>
  27. <category><![CDATA[At TMV]]></category>
  28. <category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
  29. <category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category>
  30. <category><![CDATA[Air Force One]]></category>
  31. <category><![CDATA[Pam Bondi]]></category>
  32. <category><![CDATA[Royal Family of Qatar]]></category>
  33. <category><![CDATA[trump]]></category>
  34. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://themoderatevoice.com/?p=285880</guid>
  35.  
  36. <description><![CDATA[<p>I wouldn’t be the first person to point out how Trump runs his administration like a Mafia crime family: the importance of personal loyalty above all else; open threats against political opponents; the purely transactional nature of everything, to name a few of his tendencies. It is fascinating to see how Trump’s team is trying<a class="read-more" href="https://themoderatevoice.com/don-trump-and-the-world-of-slimy-favours/"> [&#8230;]</a></p>
  37. <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com/don-trump-and-the-world-of-slimy-favours/">Don Trump and the world of slimy favours</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com">The Moderate Voice</a>.</p>
  38. ]]></description>
  39. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I wouldn’t be the first person to point out how Trump runs his administration like a Mafia crime family: the importance of personal loyalty above all else; open threats against political opponents; the purely transactional nature of everything, to name a few of his tendencies.</p>
  40. <p>It is fascinating to see how Trump’s team is trying to defend <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-administration-poised-accept-palace-sky-gift-trump/story?id=121680511">accepting a super luxury Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet</a> from the royal family of Qatar. The specifics of the gift are that it will be available for Trump to use as the new Air Force One until shortly before he leaves office. We are told that ownership will then be transferred to the Trump presidential library foundation.</p>
  41. <p>The jet is apparently absurdly opulent with an estimated value of around $400 million and called by some “the palace in the sky.” Besides the optics of an American president flying around in such a thing, there is that little detail about how it appears to contravene the emoluments clause of the Constitution. </p>
  42. <p><a href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/emoluments_clause">As one source describes the clause</a>:</p>
  43. <blockquote><p> Also known as the Title of Nobility Clause, Article I, Section 9 , Clause 8 of the U.S. Constitution prohibits any person holding a government office from accepting any present, emolument , office, or title from any &#8220;King, Prince, or foreign State ,&#8221; without congressional consent. This clause is meant to prevent external influence and corruption of American officers by foreign States.</p></blockquote>
  44. <p>To get around this, the plane is actually being given to the U.S. Air Force, so not directly to an individual. And the fact that it will eventually be given to the Trump Presidential Library, according to an analysis by Trump’s own team, makes everything hunky dory. That Trump gets to use this thing should, the argument goes, be in no way construed as a personal favour that might require some sort of corrupt reciprocity. Got it?</p>
  45. <p>My favourite part is Attorney General Pam Bondi’s statement that the gift should not be considered bribery because it is not conditional on any specific act. Okay, so here’s where we get back to the Mafia thing.</p>
  46. <p>In the movie The Godfather, Don Vito Corleone, played by Marlon Brando, is sitting down with Amerigo Bonasera, played by Salvatore Corsitto. Bonasera’s daughter has been assaulted by two men and Boasera wants retribution. Corleone agrees to help.</p>
  47. <p>In return, Corleone asks nothing, but famously says,</p>
  48. <blockquote><p> Someday, and that day may never come, I will call upon you to do a service for me. But until that day, accept this justice as a gift on my daughter&#8217;s wedding day.</p></blockquote>
  49. <p>See? No bribery.</p>
  50. <p>In the case of Trump’s gaudy airplane, it is the royal family of Qatar who may come knocking, but the general idea is the same. Trump inhabits a world where a wink and a nod is all that is needed to cover for what would be considered despicable behaviour under any other circumstances. </p>
  51. <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com/don-trump-and-the-world-of-slimy-favours/">Don Trump and the world of slimy favours</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com">The Moderate Voice</a>.</p>
  52. ]]></content:encoded>
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  58. </item>
  59. <item>
  60. <title>Do Americans know how their system of government is supposed to work?</title>
  61. <link>https://themoderatevoice.com/do-americans-know-how-their-system-of-government-is-supposed-to-work/</link>
  62. <comments>https://themoderatevoice.com/do-americans-know-how-their-system-of-government-is-supposed-to-work/#respond</comments>
  64. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Richard Barry, Associate Editor - Politics and the Arts]]></dc:creator>
  65. <pubDate>Sat, 10 May 2025 15:45:43 +0000</pubDate>
  66. <category><![CDATA[At TMV]]></category>
  67. <category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
  68. <category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category>
  69. <category><![CDATA[habeas corpus]]></category>
  70. <category><![CDATA[Stephen Miller]]></category>
  71. <category><![CDATA[the Constitution]]></category>
  72. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://themoderatevoice.com/?p=285872</guid>
  73.  
  74. <description><![CDATA[<p>There has been much concern this week about comments made by senior White House advisor Stephen Miller that the administration is looking for ways to suspend habeas corpus in their efforts to deport migrants in the country illegally. Miller told reporters: The Constitution is clear — and that of course is the supreme law of<a class="read-more" href="https://themoderatevoice.com/do-americans-know-how-their-system-of-government-is-supposed-to-work/"> [&#8230;]</a></p>
  75. <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com/do-americans-know-how-their-system-of-government-is-supposed-to-work/">Do Americans know how their system of government is supposed to work?</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com">The Moderate Voice</a>.</p>
  76. ]]></description>
  77. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img loading="lazy" src="https://themoderatevoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/fffffff-e1746892997899.jpg" alt="" width="760" height="506" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-285876" /></p>
  78. <p>There has been <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-stephen-miller-says-trump-administration-is-actively-looking-at-suspending-habeas-corpus">much concern this week</a> about comments made by senior White House advisor Stephen Miller that the administration is looking for ways to suspend habeas corpus in their efforts to deport migrants in the country illegally. Miller told reporters: </p>
  79. <blockquote><p>The Constitution is clear — and that of course is the supreme law of the land — that the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus can be suspended in a time of invasion&#8230; So it’s an option that we’re actively looking at.</p></blockquote>
  80. <p>Habeas corpus refers to the right people have under the Constitution to have their day in court, in this case to challenge their detention and any state action that may result from the alleged reasons behind it, like deportation. </p>
  81. <p>Miller has said that the courts will make the final decision. So far various judges who have weighed in have been skeptical about denying anyone, including non-citizens, a fair hearing. Over time, the Supreme Court has decided that immigrants should be able to make their case in a court of law, which is something that even conservative icon Justice Antonin Scalia once called &#8220;well-established.&#8221; If the executive branch can simply decide that non-citizens don&#8217;t merit legal protections because the country is deemed to be under attack when it is clearly not in any conventional sense of the term,  how long will it take for citizens to be denied due process for similar reasons?</p>
  82. <p>It is absurd on its face and we can only hope the courts will continue to find it as such.</p>
  83. <p>Perhaps the most annoying thing Trump and his team are trying to do with this latest move is to take advantage of the limited understanding many Americans have of their own system of government, of constitutional democracy. This is made clear by a comment made by White House spokesperson Kush Desai who said that “Over 77 million Americans gave President Trump a resounding Election Day mandate to enforce our immigration laws and mass deport criminal illegal aliens.&#8221; Holding aside the actual size of the mandate, it doesn&#8217;t matter. Theoretically, 100 percent of the electorate could vote for a president and that president would still be constrained by the Constitution and how it is interpreted by they courts. </p>
  84. <p>When Steven Miller calls judicial rulings opposed to the suspension of habeas corpus a &#8220;judicial coup,&#8221; he is willfully misunderstanding how the system is supposed to work and he knows it. </p>
  85. <p>I know this is rudimentary stuff but it&#8217;s important. Trump is always trying to undermine this basic principle by claiming special circumstances that demand dictatorial action. </p>
  86. <p>Special circumstances are always available to those corrupt enough to find them or create them. Take heed.</p>
  87. <p><em>ID <a href="https://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-photography-dictionary-series-politics-government-image5924607">5924607</a> | <a href="https://www.dreamstime.com/photos-images/politics.html">Politics</a> ©<br />
  88. <a href="https://www.dreamstime.com/firebrandphotography_info">Firebrandphotography</a> | <a href="https://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photos">Dreamstime.com</a></em></p>
  89. <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com/do-americans-know-how-their-system-of-government-is-supposed-to-work/">Do Americans know how their system of government is supposed to work?</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com">The Moderate Voice</a>.</p>
  90. ]]></content:encoded>
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  96. </item>
  97. <item>
  98. <title>Casus belli for the Pakistan-India war.</title>
  99. <link>https://themoderatevoice.com/casus-belli-for-the-pakistan-india-war/</link>
  100. <comments>https://themoderatevoice.com/casus-belli-for-the-pakistan-india-war/#respond</comments>
  102. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Brij Khindaria, Foreign Affairs Columnist]]></dc:creator>
  103. <pubDate>Fri, 09 May 2025 23:07:14 +0000</pubDate>
  104. <category><![CDATA[Breaking News]]></category>
  105. <category><![CDATA[China]]></category>
  106. <category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
  107. <category><![CDATA[India]]></category>
  108. <category><![CDATA[International]]></category>
  109. <category><![CDATA[Islam]]></category>
  110. <category><![CDATA[Israel]]></category>
  111. <category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
  112. <category><![CDATA[Religion]]></category>
  113. <category><![CDATA[Terrorism]]></category>
  114. <category><![CDATA[United States]]></category>
  115. <category><![CDATA[War]]></category>
  116. <category><![CDATA[Hinduism]]></category>
  117. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://themoderatevoice.com/?p=285854</guid>
  118.  
  119. <description><![CDATA[<p>The latest casus belli is the brutal carnage of 26 innocent tourists by terrorists in a verdant meadow in Kashmir on a balmy April 22 evening. Islamabad has denied any involvement but is already rattling nuclear threats and seems well prepared for conventional war. For Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, enough is enough. As a<a class="read-more" href="https://themoderatevoice.com/casus-belli-for-the-pakistan-india-war/"> [&#8230;]</a></p>
  120. <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com/casus-belli-for-the-pakistan-india-war/">Casus belli for the Pakistan-India war.</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com">The Moderate Voice</a>.</p>
  121. ]]></description>
  122. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img loading="lazy" src="https://themoderatevoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/ccccccc-1-e1746859270959.jpg" alt="" width="760" height="438" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-285866" /></p>
  123. <p>The latest casus belli is the brutal carnage of 26 innocent tourists by terrorists in a verdant meadow in Kashmir on a balmy April 22 evening. Islamabad has denied any involvement but is already rattling nuclear threats and seems well prepared for conventional war. </p>
  124. <p>For Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, enough is enough.</p>
  125. <p>As a resolute pacifist, Modi may try to avoid escalation but as a political strongman he wants to put a final stop to Pakistan’s well-documented military policy since 1948 of infiltrating Islamic jihadi terrorists into India, in Kashmir and elsewhere.  </p>
  126. <p>Islamabad denies any such perfidy. But Delhi is unconvinced and has long demanded that the US and Europe should designate Pakistan as a terrorist state because of hundreds killed in the alleged Pakistan-sponsored terrorist attacks, several wars linked to those attacks and almost constant skirmishes.  </p>
  127. <p>Meanwhile, emulating Israel’s right to self-defense against terrorists, Modi is unfurling multi-pronged diplomatic and other responses buttressed by decisive military action. But he is staying his hand so far to give diplomacy a chance. </p>
  128. <p>Suspicion fell on Pakistani intelligence services for the Kashmir attack because the terrorists separated non-Muslim men from other tourists and murdered them point blank. The killers remain at large and may have escaped across the border. </p>
  129. <p>Importantly, they acted with the military precision of trained commandos using US-made M4 assault rifles with attachments for precision targeting. </p>
  130. <p>Local terrorists are flooded with American small arms from disappeared stockpiles of at least 500,000 abandoned in Afghanistan by withdrawing US forces. </p>
  131. <p>Although Indians are familiar with terrorist attacks, their rage is especially severe this time because the separation of non-Muslim men was a cold-blooded attempt to re-ignite religious hatred. It happened just as tourism and normal economic activity were returning to Kashmir, a hitherto restive region beloved by Indians for its natural beauty and hospitable people.</p>
  132. <p>Modi saw no alternative to vowing revenge and “unimaginable punishment”. He promised to pursue “every terrorist and their backers to the ends of the earth.” </p>
  133. <p>Both Trump and Vice President JD Vance, who was in India with his family at that time, have pledged full support for India’s fight against terrorists but called for de-escalation to prevent “a broader regional conflict”.</p>
  134. <p>But Pakistan’s military chief Asim Munir, who is the nation’s real decider, seems determined to escalate rapidly. </p>
  135. <p>“Let there be no ambiguity; any military misadventure by India will be met with a swift, resolute and notch-up response,” he declared, addressing troops from atop a battle tank last week.</p>
  136. <p>Importantly. Munir, who earlier served as the Intelligence chief, asserted last month that Pakistan’s religious obligations as an Islamic Republic made peaceful relations with India unworkable. </p>
  137. <p>A top diplomat warned, &#8220;We in Pakistan will use the full spectrum of power, both conventional and nuclear.&#8221; </p>
  138. <p>To drive the point home, Munir test fired a ballistic missile with a surface-to-surface range of 450 kilometers built with Chinese help, capable of striking deep inside Indian territory with nuclear warheads. He named it Abdali after a prominent medieval Muslim conqueror of Indians.</p>
  139. <p>Pakistan’s military elites loathe India because it is a successful multi-religious, multi-ethnic and multi-lingual democracy that provides an ever-evolving model of coexistence of Islam with other religions and freedom of political choices for its citizens. They fear collapse of their power and wealth if Pakistanis were to exercise similar freedoms. </p>
  140. <p>Critics allege they have habitually used anti-India rhetoric to create unwarranted fear among ordinary Pakistanis with the purpose of exercising overwhelming power in national governance and expanding their personal wealth through bigger war budgets. </p>
  141. <p>Most Pakistani governments have been military dictatorships or weak civilian leaderships controlled by generals from the back seat.</p>
  142. <p>The military elites operate more like robber barons using dedication to Islam as a veneer, critics say. Instead, their dedication is to perpetuating control over government and expropriating wealth through corrupt business practices and ever-expanding defense budgets regardless of the nation’s impoverishment.</p>
  143. <p>They continue to train, equip and infiltrate Islamic terrorists to maintain perpetual enmity with India at low cost in the name of Islam to distract public attention from the funds they siphoned off from American aid. </p>
  144. <p>Pakistan’s military and intelligence services extracted billions of dollars from Washington over more than 10 years by exploiting its fear of a communist takeover in Afghanistan. Then for 30 years, they were paid to help fight Islamic Jihadists and the Taliban although they had created and nurtured both. </p>
  145. <p>Washington paid willingly despite knowing that Pakistan covertly provided nuclear weapons development support to Iran, Libya, Syria and North Korea while collaborating closely with China.</p>
  146. <p>US intelligence finally admitted a decade ago that Pakistan’s military is riddled with acolytes of Islamic terrorists with American blood on their hands. Aid was cut off after the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 but it had already fueled the military’s corrupt dictatorial rule over the nation since the 1970s.</p>
  147. <p>Then, to Delhi’s alarm, Trump personally approved a $397 million military assistance package for Islamabad last January, two weeks before the attack in Kashmir. That may have emboldened Munir because It included support for Pakistan’s F-16 fleet albeit with a stipulation for use only against terrorists. </p>
  148. <p>But Munir may think nothing of betraying Trump’s faith by using the F-16s against India, especially as he is deeply beholden to China’s Xi Jinping for weapons, money and diplomatic support. </p>
  149. <p>But his own standing in the military is being challenged because the US aid cutoff severely hurt the wealth of many ranking officers. They blame hubristic decisions by cadres from Munir’s Punjab province who have dominated the military for over 75 years. </p>
  150. <p>Punjabi military elites own and run Pakistan’s largest industries and farmlands because of the vast decades-long downpour of unaccountable money from Washington. </p>
  151. <p>Some independent experts think a prolonged Punjabi-led war with India could break up the Pakistani state. Its cost estimated at $10 billion dollars a week could unravel Pakistan’s four provinces – Punjab, Sindh, Baluchistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa &#8212; into separate states. </p>
  152. <p>The long-suppressed but more populous and productive Sindis now dare to openly voice resentment at a system that hands a large chunk of their wealth to the Punjabis instead of reinvesting locally. </p>
  153. <p>The people of resource-rich Baluchistan are fed up with Punjabi elites that siphon off their wealth and worsen poverty. A 40-year Baluchi insurgency has been fighting the Punjabi army and separatists held a train with over 300 people hostage in March. A 36-hour standoff ended with over 60 dead. </p>
  154. <p>Importantly, Baluchi militancy has scared Beijing, which is heavily invested in a potentially lucrative $60 billion export corridor from China across a large chunk of Baluchistan to a massive new commercial and military port at Gwadar on the Arabian Sea. It may no longer see value in bowing to the greed of Punjabi generals. </p>
  155. <p>Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, previously known as the North West Frontier Province, is the restless impoverished tribal land of the battle-hardened Pathan people. They birthed the Taliban who captured Kabul from the Soviets and then Americans after a more than 30-year war.  </p>
  156. <p>The region continues to be a hotbed of terrorist Islamic clans nurtured earlier by the military, which is losing control because it no longer has American money to fund them or buy them off. </p>
  157. <p><em>ID <a href="https://www.dreamstime.com/india-vs-versus-pakistan-conflict-tensions-india-pakistan-india-vs-versus-pakistan-conflict-tensions-image227320744">227320744</a> ©<br />
  158. <a href="https://www.dreamstime.com/jandreanicolini_info">Andrea Nicolini</a> | <a href="https://www.dreamstime.com/">Dreamstime.com</a></em></p>
  159. <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com/casus-belli-for-the-pakistan-india-war/">Casus belli for the Pakistan-India war.</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com">The Moderate Voice</a>.</p>
  160. ]]></content:encoded>
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  163. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  166. </item>
  167. <item>
  168. <title>Pope Donald vs. Pope Leo XIV</title>
  169. <link>https://themoderatevoice.com/pope-donald-vs-pope-leo-xiv/</link>
  170. <comments>https://themoderatevoice.com/pope-donald-vs-pope-leo-xiv/#respond</comments>
  172. <dc:creator><![CDATA[David Robertson]]></dc:creator>
  173. <pubDate>Fri, 09 May 2025 12:00:55 +0000</pubDate>
  174. <category><![CDATA[At TMV]]></category>
  175. <category><![CDATA[Catholics]]></category>
  176. <category><![CDATA[Donald Trump]]></category>
  177. <category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
  178. <category><![CDATA[Inspiration and Living]]></category>
  179. <category><![CDATA[Religion]]></category>
  180. <category><![CDATA[Pope Leo XIV]]></category>
  181. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://themoderatevoice.com/?p=285815</guid>
  182.  
  183. <description><![CDATA[<p>Donald Trump proved that he is all crass and no class when the White House posted online an image of him as Pope of the Roman Catholic Church. Granted, Trump is defintely a pope to his current supporters if not their messiah. Now that Pope Leo XIV has arrived on the global scene, it should<a class="read-more" href="https://themoderatevoice.com/pope-donald-vs-pope-leo-xiv/"> [&#8230;]</a></p>
  184. <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com/pope-donald-vs-pope-leo-xiv/">Pope Donald vs. Pope Leo XIV</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com">The Moderate Voice</a>.</p>
  185. ]]></description>
  186. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img loading="lazy" src="https://themoderatevoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Trump-as-Pope.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="350" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-285816" srcset="https://themoderatevoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Trump-as-Pope.jpg 300w, https://themoderatevoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Trump-as-Pope-257x300.jpg 257w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></p>
  187. <p><font size = 4>Donald Trump proved that he is all crass and no class when the <a href="https://x.com/WhiteHouse/status/1918502592335724809" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">White House posted online an image of him as Pope of the Roman Catholic Church</a>.</p>
  188. <p>Granted, Trump is defintely a pope to his current supporters if not their messiah.</p>
  189. <p>Now that Pope Leo XIV has arrived on the global scene, it should be interesting to watch how Trump reacts to him.</p>
  190. <p>In his <a href="https://newrepublic.com/post/195020/new-pope-robert-prevost-trump-jd-vance" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">08 May 2025 report for The New Republic</a>, Malcolm Ferguson describes the various social media posts made by the new Pontiff proir to his election.</p>
  191. <p>Ferguson writes, &#8220;The first American-born pope is not a fan of the Trump administration. Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who is now Pope Leo XIV, has multiple posts on his X account that criticize or outright rebuke the words and policies of President Trump. . . The pope is expected to strike a Francis-like chord on issues of immigration and poverty, two things the current administration is directly opposed to.&#8221;</p>
  192. <p><a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2025/05/08/robert-francis-prevost-elected-pope-leo-xiv/83393204007/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">USA Today reports the following about the new Pontiff</a>:</p>
  193. <p>&#8220;Prevost&#8217;s positions are reportedly similar to those of Francis, particularly on the environment and outreach to the poor, the marginalized and migrants. &#8216;The bishop is not supposed to be a little prince sitting in his kingdom,&#8217; he&#8217;s said, signaling an impulse to meet people where they are, and perhaps an approach to the papacy that will mimic Francis&#8217; common touch. He&#8217;s also supported Pope Francis&#8217; allowing divorced Catholics and those married outside the church to receive Communion, though his support for LGBTQ+ people is less clear.&#8221;</p>
  194. <p><a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/new-pope-robert-prevost-pope-leo-xiv/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">CBS News</a> states, &#8220;Overall, he&#8217;s considered a centrist, but on many social issues he&#8217;s seen as progressive, embracing marginalized groups like Francis, who championed migrants and the poor.&#8221;</p>
  195. <p><a href="https://apnews.com/live/conclave-pope-catholic-church-updates-5-8-2025#00000196-b186-d978-adff-f1efe74c0000" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">From the Associated Press</a>: &#8220;Kurt Martens, who teaches at The Catholic University of America in Washington, said Robert Prevost’s choice of the name of Leo XIV, referencing XIII and his foundational encyclical on social teaching — suggests continuity with the church’s direction under Pope Francis.&#8221;</p>
  196. <p><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0ln80lzk7ko" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">From BBC</a>: &#8220;Prevost is believed to have shared Francis&#8217; views on migrants, the poor and the environment.&#8221;</p>
  197. <p>In <a href="https://x.com/WhiteHouse/status/1920544311042846944" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">a post on the White House&#8217;s X.com account</a>, Donald Trump states, &#8220;I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!&#8221;</p>
  198. <p>Satan probably thought he would have his own &#8220;very meaningful moment&#8221; <a href="https://www.bible.com/bible/111/MAT.4.1-11.NIV" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">when he met Jesus in the wilderness</a>. Look how that meeting turned out. This blogger doubts that Pope Donald will fare better against Pope Leo XIV.</p>
  199. <p><img loading="lazy" src="https://themoderatevoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Dividing-Line.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="17" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-270586" srcset="https://themoderatevoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Dividing-Line.jpg 800w, https://themoderatevoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Dividing-Line-300x6.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></p>
  200. <p>Now showing, the new religion/politics drama series expected to captivate a world audience:</p>
  201. <p><img loading="lazy" src="https://64.media.tumblr.com/3a142599521c5a5e1d9d1428c44ec7d6/654237218166d46d-a8/s540x810/583234afca90082c6baa733b5c4615ec435b9398.jpg" width="540" height="292" class="aligncenter size-full" /></p>
  202. <p></font></p>
  203. <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com/pope-donald-vs-pope-leo-xiv/">Pope Donald vs. Pope Leo XIV</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com">The Moderate Voice</a>.</p>
  204. ]]></content:encoded>
  206. <wfw:commentRss>https://themoderatevoice.com/pope-donald-vs-pope-leo-xiv/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  207. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  210. </item>
  211. <item>
  212. <title>The Chinese shadow over Pakistan and India’s nascent war</title>
  213. <link>https://themoderatevoice.com/the-chinese-shadow-over-pakistan-and-indias-nascent-war/</link>
  214. <comments>https://themoderatevoice.com/the-chinese-shadow-over-pakistan-and-indias-nascent-war/#respond</comments>
  216. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Brij Khindaria, Foreign Affairs Columnist]]></dc:creator>
  217. <pubDate>Fri, 09 May 2025 09:11:58 +0000</pubDate>
  218. <category><![CDATA[At TMV]]></category>
  219. <category><![CDATA[Breaking News]]></category>
  220. <category><![CDATA[China]]></category>
  221. <category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
  222. <category><![CDATA[India]]></category>
  223. <category><![CDATA[International]]></category>
  224. <category><![CDATA[Iran]]></category>
  225. <category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
  226. <category><![CDATA[Terrorism]]></category>
  227. <category><![CDATA[United States]]></category>
  228. <category><![CDATA[War]]></category>
  229. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://themoderatevoice.com/?p=285837</guid>
  230.  
  231. <description><![CDATA[<p>President Donald Trump could soon face the ignominy of seeing American F-16 fighters flying alongside arch rival China’s J-10 and JF-17 warplanes piloted by Pakistanis against his Indian partners. The risk of ignominy arises because Trump designated India as a “Major Defense Partner with Strategic Trade Authorization-1” during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s February visit to<a class="read-more" href="https://themoderatevoice.com/the-chinese-shadow-over-pakistan-and-indias-nascent-war/"> [&#8230;]</a></p>
  232. <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com/the-chinese-shadow-over-pakistan-and-indias-nascent-war/">The Chinese shadow over Pakistan and India’s nascent war</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com">The Moderate Voice</a>.</p>
  233. ]]></description>
  234. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img loading="lazy" src="https://themoderatevoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/bbbbb-1-e1746859526374.jpg" alt="" width="760" height="382" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-285869" /></p>
  235. <p>President Donald Trump could soon face the ignominy of seeing American F-16 fighters flying alongside arch rival China’s J-10 and JF-17 warplanes piloted by Pakistanis against his Indian partners.</p>
  236. <p>The risk of ignominy arises because Trump designated India as a “Major Defense Partner with Strategic Trade Authorization-1” during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s February visit to the White House. </p>
  237. <p>That butts heads with Pakistan’s “major non-NATO ally” status since 2002, granted in anticipation of services needed during America’s ill-starred conflict in Afghanistan.</p>
  238. <p>Now, the nascent Pakistan-India war has revealed a new more worrisome danger.</p>
  239. <p>Under military chief Asim Munir, the nuclear-armed nation is rapidly falling into the iron grip of China’s ambitious Xi Jinping, who Trump and US Congress see by bipartisan consensus as the most high-risk challenger of American power and disrupter of world stability. </p>
  240. <p>Yet, Trump seems unphased by the war although both countries are significant nuclear powers. His early comment was, “They’ll get it figured out one way or the other. I&#8217;m sure of that.&#8221;  </p>
  241. <p>This might be a mistake because Xi seems to be using Munir as a war proxy to scuttle India’s growing friendship with Washington as a first step to longer term ejection of US military assets from South Asia and the Indian Ocean. </p>
  242. <p>In this perilous context, only forceful diplomatic pressure by Trump on Munir to pull back quickly from the casus belli of this war can save Pakistan from turning into a Chinese dependency and being trapped in an anti-Western belt comprising China, Russia, North Korea and Iran.</p>
  243. <p>Delhi will never accept US mediation in the Pakistan war. Nor will it ever be willing to treat Beijing as an enemy. There are too many civilization links with China over 7,000 years and they never had a war until 1962, when Chinese soldiers briefly attacked small undefended Himalayan territories in India by surprise. </p>
  244. <p>But Delhi would accept pressure by Trump on Munir to definitively end Pakistan’s well-documented policy since 1948 of infiltrating Islamic terrorists into India as a state-authorized but deniable weapon. This is the chief casus belli but Islamabad continues to deny such charges.</p>
  245. <p>A successful Trump could then benefit from an unprecedented opportunity to build a new security architecture free of state-sponsored terrorism for South Asia and the Indian Ocean with his friend Modi’s help.</p>
  246. <p>That would be a big gain for Trump because India is pivotal for his vision of Indo-Pacific security and peace, which has bipartisan support in Washington. </p>
  247. <p>Since Beijing is the major financial investor and weapons supplier to Pakistan, the current war could easily escalate to regional scale and draw China in covertly. </p>
  248. <p>Perhaps, hubris sparked by China’s admirable economic and military successes in recent decades has set Xi on a very high-risk path aimed at containing its huge neighbor. </p>
  249. <p>He may be using Munir in an attempt to bleed India through war and Pakistan-sponsored terrorists to coerce Delhi&#8217;s acquiescence to his ambitions of Asian hegemony.</p>
  250. <p>He may also be trying to bleed Islamabad through a destructive war with a larger military power to impose enough economic dependency on Pakistan’s generals to do Beijing’s bidding.</p>
  251. <p>Although Xi has called for de-escalation, he may prefer to see a war to evaluate Chinese warplanes and weapons in actual combat. He has reportedly already delivered high-performance missiles to Islamabad to arm it for a prolonged war.</p>
  252. <p>First reports indicate effective performance by Pakistan’s China-made warplanes firing PL-15 air-to-air missiles and France’s best Rafale warplanes firing the latest meteor missiles, US and India-made missiles, and Russia-designed warplanes and munitions. Reportedly, at least one Rafale has been shot down.</p>
  253. <p>If Xi’s weapons demonstrate credibility, this war will have profound implications for American deterrence of a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, protection of treaty allies Japan, South Korea and the Philippines, and stability in the South China Sea and Indo-Pacific.</p>
  254. <p>More importantly, it could birth a China-Pakistan defense axis that permits direct Chinese access to the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean through Pakistan’s Gwadar Port. </p>
  255. <p>That would have profound implications for South and West Asia, including the safety of America’s Indian Ocean bases of Diego Garcia and US aircraft carrier groups plying in and out of the Persian Gulf, where the longest shoreline is with an emerging Beijing ally, Iran.</p>
  256. <p>These prizes are too grand for Xi to let Pakistan, a failing, impoverished and unstable state, to become anything but Beijing’s satellite. </p>
  257. <p>However, the way to avoid all of that is quite easy. Trump simply needs to use coercive diplomacy on Munir and his intelligence services to permanently abandon their 75-year-old strategy of infiltrating terrorists into Indian territory. </p>
  258. <p>In one stroke, that would completely eliminate casus belli between Delhi and Islamabad and dismantle China’s grip over Pakistani elites. </p>
  259. <p>Pakistan and India would be at long-term peace particularly as they share almost identical cultural mores and are home to almost equal numbers of Muslims many with cross border family affiliations. </p>
  260. <p>But Trump must make a clear choice. He could continue Washington’s self-interested habit of hedging bets by playing both sides in periods of military tensions. Or he could finally act upon repeated US intelligence assessments that Pakistan is a fraudulent ally and acolyte of Islamic terrorists with American blood on their hands.</p>
  261. <p>He could choose to clearly tilt towards India, his emerging great-power partner, by giving due respect to the value it brings to his table. Beyond contributions to the global combat against terrorism, it is a pivotal military power, an influential friend of the Global South and reliable partner indispensable for helping to safeguard the world&#8217;s most vital sea lanes from the South China Sea across the Indian Ocean  to the Red Sea and Horn of Africa. </p>
  262. <p>The current bipartisan opinion in Washington holds that Modi is a reliable leader of a stable, fast-progressing and genuine democracy whereas Pakistan has mostly been ruled by corrupt military dictators who have driven it to failed statehood, widening internal conflict, Islamic fundamentalism and bankruptcy. </p>
  263. <p>India is actively helping the US to build peace in the Indo-Pacific and patrol vital ingress to the Red Sea against terrorists and pirates jeopardizing the Horn of Africa.  Beyond that, India is also a competent emerging actor and positive influence to maintain balance in the sharpening competition in the Arctic region as China expands its encroachment.</p>
  264. <p><em><br />
  265. ID <a href="https://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photo-chinese-flag-china-image3424260">3424260</a> ©<br />
  266. <a href="https://www.dreamstime.com/gonzalomedin_info">Gonzalomedin</a> | <a href="https://www.dreamstime.com/">Dreamstime.com</a></em></p>
  267. <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com/the-chinese-shadow-over-pakistan-and-indias-nascent-war/">The Chinese shadow over Pakistan and India’s nascent war</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com">The Moderate Voice</a>.</p>
  268. ]]></content:encoded>
  270. <wfw:commentRss>https://themoderatevoice.com/the-chinese-shadow-over-pakistan-and-indias-nascent-war/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  271. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  274. </item>
  275. <item>
  276. <title>Reaction to Cardinal Robert Prevost Being Named Pope Leo XIV</title>
  277. <link>https://themoderatevoice.com/reaction-to-cardinal-robert-prevost-being-named-pope-leo-xiv/</link>
  278. <comments>https://themoderatevoice.com/reaction-to-cardinal-robert-prevost-being-named-pope-leo-xiv/#respond</comments>
  280. <dc:creator><![CDATA[JOE GANDELMAN, Editor-In-Chief]]></dc:creator>
  281. <pubDate>Thu, 08 May 2025 23:08:43 +0000</pubDate>
  282. <category><![CDATA[Catholics]]></category>
  283. <category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
  284. <category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category>
  285. <category><![CDATA[Religion]]></category>
  286. <category><![CDATA[Catholic Church]]></category>
  287. <category><![CDATA[Donald Trump]]></category>
  288. <category><![CDATA[JD Vance]]></category>
  289. <category><![CDATA[MAGA]]></category>
  290. <category><![CDATA[Pope]]></category>
  291. <category><![CDATA[Pope Francis]]></category>
  292. <category><![CDATA[Pope Leo X14]]></category>
  293. <category><![CDATA[Republicans]]></category>
  294. <category><![CDATA[Roman Catholics]]></category>
  295. <category><![CDATA[Vatican]]></category>
  296. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://themoderatevoice.com/?p=285807</guid>
  297.  
  298. <description><![CDATA[<p>The reaction to the news that U.S. Cardinal Robert Prevost of Chicago will become Pope and will now be known as Pope Leo XIV was swift in the news media and on social media. The consensus is that he is progressive to moderate. Social media was raging with political takes on his selection. Some GOPers<a class="read-more" href="https://themoderatevoice.com/reaction-to-cardinal-robert-prevost-being-named-pope-leo-xiv/"> [&#8230;]</a></p>
  299. <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com/reaction-to-cardinal-robert-prevost-being-named-pope-leo-xiv/">Reaction to Cardinal Robert Prevost Being Named Pope Leo XIV</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com">The Moderate Voice</a>.</p>
  300. ]]></description>
  301. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img loading="lazy" src="https://themoderatevoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/cccccc-e1746741868845.jpg" alt="" width="760" height="406" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-285808" /></p>
  302. <p>The reaction to the news that <a href="https://www.memeorandum.com/250508/p98#a250508p98">U.S.  Cardinal Robert Prevost of Chicago will become Pope </a>and will now be known as Pope Leo XIV was swift in the news media and on social media.</p>
  303. <p> The consensus is that he is progressive to moderate. Social media was raging with political takes on his selection. Some GOPers and MAGA members clearly felt he wasn&#8217;t the kind of Pope they wanted &#8211; a more conservative pope. On social media it was<a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/new-pope-robert-prevost-social-media-maga-meltdown-1235334802/"> an anti-Pope Leo meltdown.</a> But many who oppose Donald Trump politically were happy: it turned out that then-Cardinal Prevost <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/new-pope-leo-xiv-bashed-jd-vance-on-twitter-just-weeks-ago/">bashed Trump and Vice President JD Vance on Twitter earlier this year</a>. </p>
  304. <p>Here&#8217;s a cross section of media and social media reaction. </p>
  305. <p><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/08/world/europe/pope-leo-xiv-robert-francis-prevost.html">The New York Times: </a></p>
  306. <blockquote><p>Robert Francis Prevost, who was elected the 267th pope of the Roman Catholic Church on Thursday and took the name Pope Leo XIV, is the first pope from the United States.</p>
  307. <p>The decision from the 133 voting cardinals, which arrived in a plume of white smoke at the end of their second day of voting inside the secrecy of the Sistine Chapel, defied longstanding belief that church leaders would never select a pope from a global superpower that already has considerable influence in world affairs.</p>
  308. <p>Taking the name Pope Leo XIV, he shares Francis’ commitment to helping the poor and migrants. He was once the leader of his religious order, the Augustinians, whose members are called to live simply and devote themselves to ministering to those in need.</p>
  309. <p>In his first address as pope to the crowd in St. Peter’s Square, he said in Italian, “We must seek together how to be a missionary church, a church that builds bridges, dialogue, always open to receive like this square with open arms.”</p>
  310. <p>As an American, he is uniquely positioned to stand in contrast to the energized conservative Catholicism in his home country, and has pushed back forcefully against the militant vision of Christian power that the Trump administration has elevated.</p>
  311. <p>Months before Cardinal Prevost became pope, a social media account under his name expressed criticism of Vice President JD Vance, who had asserted on Fox News that Christian theology could justify turning away migrants and strangers in need because it actually ranks caring for family first. The account posted on X that “J.D. Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others.”</p>
  312. <p>Despite his American roots, the Chicago-born polyglot, 69, is viewed as a churchman who transcends borders. The Vatican’s official news website framed him not as the first pope from the United States, but the second pope from the Americas. He served for two decades in Peru, where he became a bishop and a naturalized citizen, then rose to lead his international religious community, the Order of St. Augustine. Under Pope Francis, he held one of the most influential Vatican posts, running the office that selects and manages bishops globally.</p>
  313. <p>That made him an attractive choice to the Roman Curia, the powerful bureaucracy that governs the church and which, after frequently experiencing reprimands and upheavals from Pope Francis, wanted someone who knew, and appreciated, the institution.
  314. </p></blockquote>
  315. <p><a href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/religion/2025/05/08/cardinal-robert-prevost-raised-in-dolton-is-the-first-american-pope">Chicago Sun Times:</a></p>
  316. <blockquote><p>Cardinal Robert Prevost, a missionary born in Chicago who spent much of his career abroad and leads the Vatican’s powerful office of bishops, was elected the first pope from the United States in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic church.</p>
  317. <p>Prevost, 69, took the name Leo XIV. He replaces Pope Francis, who died last month.</p>
  318. <p>His first words as the 267th pope were, “Peace be with you.”</p>
  319. <p>From St. Peter’s Basilica, the new pope told the gathered throng that he is an Augustinian priest but a Christian above all, as well as a bishop, “So we can all walk together.”</p>
  320. <p>He spoke in Italian and then switched to Spanish, recalling his many years spent as a missionary and then archbishop of Chiclayo, Peru. Prevost wore the traditional red cape of the papacy — a cape that Francis had eschewed on his election in 2013.</p>
  321. <p>“I’m really proud,” said Noelle Neis, a childhood friend who, with her four siblings, grew up in the same parish as the Prevosts, the old St. Mary of the Assumption on Chicago’s border with Dolton.</p>
  322. <p>She said her phone was blowing up Thursday with calls and texts.</p>
  323. <p>“To think about we knew him when he was a kid,” Neis said. “He’s just like one of us. Before it was so out of reach for anybody.”</p>
  324. <p>John Doughney, another childhood friend, recalled Prevost as incredibly kind.</p>
  325. <p>“You could tell at a very young age, there was just a kindness and a compassion about him that wasn’t really typical of most kids.” Doughney said. “With Robert, it was on display.”</p>
  326. <p>Prevost’s rise to become an influential figure at the Vatican began in Dolton as the town grew, taking in thousands of people moving from apartments in Chicago to new homes in the south suburb during the post-World War II boom.
  327. </p></blockquote>
  328. <p><a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/religion/catholic-americans-rejoice-pope-leo-xiv-rcna205679">NBC News: </a></p>
  329. <blockquote><p>VATICAN CITY — The new American pope received a very American reception in Vatican City.</p>
  330. <p>“USA! USA! USA!” chanted a boisterous group of young clergymen dressed in long black cassocks, pogoing in the center of St. Peter’s Square.</p>
  331. <p>The square — often a place for calm and prayer — felt more like a sporting event or a rock concert on Thursday after the Vatican conclave chose Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost to be the next pope, making him the first American-born head of the Roman Catholic Church.</p>
  332. <p>Americans in Vatican City expressed exultation, pride and surprise — stunned surprise — all rolled into one.</p>
  333. <p>“I am shocked,” said Joe Brodeur, 27, a deacon from Providence, Rhode Island. “I am feeling so much joy, that’s all I can say.”</p>
  334. <p>In truth, the first emotion that swept this part of the square was confusion.</p>
  335. <p>Cardinal Dominique Mamberti announced the result in Latin. The 40,000 people assembled in the square got the “habemus papam” bit — “we have a pope” — which elicited more cheers. But the actual name was swallowed up by the din.</p>
  336. <p>“Who did they say?” one person asked over the clamor. “Did he say Robert Sarah?” wondered someone else, referring to the Guinean cardinal well regarded by bookmakers beforehand.</p>
  337. </blockquote>
  338. <p><a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/columnist/2025/05/08/new-pope-woke-leo-xiv-views/83519517007/">USA Today columnist Rex Huppke:</a></p>
  339. <blockquote><p>Well, MAGA, it looks like you got yourself another Woke Pope to contend with.</p>
  340. <p>In the right-wing loon-o-sphere, the reaction to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost becoming the first American-born pope has been one of outrage and disgust. Conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer, who is regularly in President Donald Trump’s ear, posted of the new pontiff: “WOKE MARXIST POPE.”</p>
  341. <p>Hardcore Trump supporter Ryan Selkis, a former crypto CEO, shared past social-media posts believed to be from the new pope. They included things like support for George Floyd and criticism of Trump’s family separation policy. Selkis wrote: “A new woke pope. BLM. Kids in cages. Suicidal empathy. American who mostly posts en espanol.”</p>
  342. <p>&#8216;WOKE POPE,&#8217; screams the MAGA crowd. Apparently, Jesus&#8217; own teachings go too far.</p>
  343. <p>I’m not familiar with the “empathy is bad” portion of the Bible. But it seems the MAGA crowd is generally upset at the new pope, who took the name Leo XIV, because he believes in the things Jesus taught. The fact that those things – loving others, embracing peace, welcoming immigrants – are deemed “woke” and thus intolerable by parishioners of the Church of Trump tells you all you need to know about the congregation.</p>
  344. <p>Who knows, maybe they’re just upset other places keep choosing leaders who stand against much of what Trump stands for. Conservatives in Canada and Australia took a beating in recent elections thanks to widespread dislike of Trump, and now the Vatican gets a U.S. pope who: believes climate change is an urgent crisis; hails from Chicago, a city Trump has routinely derided as a liberal sanctuary city; preaches love for immigrants; and, like his papal predecessor and most humans, doesn’t seem to like Vice President JD Vance.\</p>
  345. <p>On his verified X account, then-Cardinal Prevost shared a column about Vance that included the headline: “JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn&#8217;t ask us to rank our love for others.”</p>
  346. <p>That’s a double sad trombone for Vance, a fairly recent convert to Catholicism who has now taken heat from two popes.</p></blockquote>
  347. <p><em>Go to the link to read it all.</em></p>
  348. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
  349. <p lang="en" dir="ltr">Before becoming Pope, listen to what Cardinal Prevos had to say about service. It&#39;s too bad fascist despots like Trump and Vance don&#39;t take this message to heart. Sadly, instead of serving the American people, they only serve their own avarice and greed. <a href="https://t.co/cUO7MByzYF">pic.twitter.com/cUO7MByzYF</a></p>
  350. <p>&mdash; Bill Madden (@maddenifico) <a href="https://twitter.com/maddenifico/status/1920555891675316425?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
  351. <p> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
  352. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
  353. <p lang="en" dir="ltr">The new Pope’s Twitter suggests he is pro gun reform, supports climate action, backed Black Lives Matter, strongly opposed to MAGA immigration policies — and clearly has no patience for JD Vance.</p>
  354. <p>&mdash; Matt McDermott (@mattmfm) <a href="https://twitter.com/mattmfm/status/1920537550420115496?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
  355. <p> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
  356. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
  357. <p lang="en" dir="ltr">According to my sources inside the Vatican, Pope Leo helped ghostwrite Pope Francis’s February letter lambasting the Trump Administration on immigration.</p>
  358. <p>&mdash; Christopher Hale (@chrisjollyhale) <a href="https://twitter.com/chrisjollyhale/status/1920583357735276710?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
  359. <p> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
  360. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
  361. <p lang="en" dir="ltr">Congratulations to Pope Leo XIV! <a href="https://t.co/s02yDDegQd">pic.twitter.com/s02yDDegQd</a></p>
  362. <p>&mdash; Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) <a href="https://twitter.com/Cubs/status/1920573012333490433?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
  363. <p> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
  364. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
  365. <p lang="en" dir="ltr">The new Pope isn&#39;t anti-MAGA.<br />MAGA is anti-Jesus.</p>
  366. <p>(If this angers you, please cite one actual commandment of Christ that Trump fights for.<br />Chapter &amp; verse. Just one.) <a href="https://t.co/VQuInUObAi">https://t.co/VQuInUObAi</a></p>
  367. <p>&mdash; John Fugelsang (@JohnFugelsang) <a href="https://twitter.com/JohnFugelsang/status/1920592136732278983?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
  368. <p> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
  369. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
  370. <p lang="en" dir="ltr">? NEW: Cardinal Robert Prevost (now Pope Leo) was the Vatican official Pope Francis met with right before removing Texas Bishop Joseph Strickland—who famously called President Biden a “fake Catholic.”</p>
  371. <p>I like this guy. ? <a href="https://t.co/0uCS5R2hGf">pic.twitter.com/0uCS5R2hGf</a></p>
  372. <p>&mdash; Chris D. Jackson (@ChrisDJackson) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisDJackson/status/1920590666536485009?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
  373. <p> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
  374. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
  375. <p lang="en" dir="ltr">GOD HAS GIVEN THE WORLD A PROGRESSIVE POPE!</p>
  376. <p>Here is what we&#39;ve learned about Pope Leo XIV:</p>
  377. <p>* He has written and reposted anti-Trump tweets.<br />* Has come out against boarder enforcement<br />*Endorsed Dreamers<br />* Supports BLM<br />*Pro gun reform, <br />*Supports climate action, </p>
  378. <p>Your thoughts? <a href="https://t.co/73TJpP7zLB">pic.twitter.com/73TJpP7zLB</a></p>
  379. <p>&mdash; Lovable Liberal and his Old English sheepdog (@DougWahl1) <a href="https://twitter.com/DougWahl1/status/1920580465657815549?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
  380. <p> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
  381. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
  382. <p lang="en" dir="ltr">In the last 2 weeks the radical right has lost the vote in Canada, Australia and the Catholic Church.</p>
  383. <p>Democracy will prevail.</p>
  384. <p>&mdash; ??CoffeyTimeNews?? (@CoffeyTimeNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/CoffeyTimeNews/status/1920597101119001025?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
  385. <p> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
  386. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
  387. <p lang="en" dir="ltr">“ God bless everyone in the world, except Green Bay.” <a href="https://t.co/4sdYLtfdfj">pic.twitter.com/4sdYLtfdfj</a></p>
  388. <p>&mdash; Ross Read (@RossRead) <a href="https://twitter.com/RossRead/status/1920530181996925343?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
  389. <p> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
  390. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
  391. <p lang="en" dir="ltr">If you think Pope Leo is a Marxist, you’re really gonna hate Jesus.</p>
  392. <p>&mdash; Maine (@TheMaineWonk) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheMaineWonk/status/1920603474779140110?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
  393. <p> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
  394. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
  395. <p lang="en" dir="ltr">Holy moly. Check out this tweet from the new American pope. I’m sure MAGA would hate it if you reposted this right this minute. <a href="https://t.co/JaO2IY6dj2">pic.twitter.com/JaO2IY6dj2</a></p>
  396. <p>&mdash; CALL TO ACTIVISM (@CalltoActivism) <a href="https://twitter.com/CalltoActivism/status/1920533265623986443?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
  397. <p> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
  398. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
  399. <p lang="en" dir="ltr">BREAKING: The new pope has been a vocal opponent of Donald Trump and JD Vance’s cruel and inhumane immigration policies. <a href="https://t.co/ls17fPdSLR">pic.twitter.com/ls17fPdSLR</a></p>
  400. <p>&mdash; Trump Lie Tracker (Commentary) (@MAGALieTracker) <a href="https://twitter.com/MAGALieTracker/status/1920531826793189412?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
  401. <p> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
  402. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
  403. <p lang="en" dir="ltr">Conclave Selects First Chicago-Style Pope <a href="https://t.co/5iUH0jjgpH">pic.twitter.com/5iUH0jjgpH</a></p>
  404. <p>&mdash; The Onion (@TheOnion) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheOnion/status/1920579986324414882?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
  405. <p> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
  406. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
  407. <p lang="en" dir="ltr">The best part of this is: Instantly the most famous American in the world is the new pope</p>
  408. <p>&mdash; Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) <a href="https://twitter.com/KeithOlbermann/status/1920591917802270904?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
  409. <p> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
  410. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
  411. <p lang="en" dir="ltr">MAGA is mad that the new Pope doesn&#39;t hate anyone&#8230; except JD Vance.</p>
  412. <p>&mdash; Devin Duke (@sirDukeDevin) <a href="https://twitter.com/sirDukeDevin/status/1920585750929944692?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
  413. <p> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
  414. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
  415. <p lang="en" dir="ltr">The best part of this is: Instantly the most famous American in the world is the new pope</p>
  416. <p>&mdash; Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) <a href="https://twitter.com/KeithOlbermann/status/1920591917802270904?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
  417. <p> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
  418. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
  419. <p lang="en" dir="ltr">Chicago Pope, Tuesdays on NBC</p>
  420. <p>&mdash; Josh Barro (@jbarro) <a href="https://twitter.com/jbarro/status/1920532431431409887?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
  421. <p> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
  422. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
  423. <p lang="en" dir="ltr">The pope is right, Jesus was a migrant. If he were alive today, MAGA &quot;Christians&quot; would have him deported to El Salvador.</p>
  424. <p>&mdash; Alex Cole (@acnewsitics) <a href="https://twitter.com/acnewsitics/status/1920555480725745795?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
  425. <p> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
  426. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
  427. <p lang="en" dir="ltr">The new pope is a registered Republican in Illinois. </p>
  428. <p>His most recent tweet was a criticism of JD Vance. <a href="https://t.co/GaKzpjzxox">pic.twitter.com/GaKzpjzxox</a></p>
  429. <p>&mdash; Christopher Hale (@chrisjollyhale) <a href="https://twitter.com/chrisjollyhale/status/1920535862594420986?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
  430. <p> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
  431. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
  432. <p lang="en" dir="ltr">BREAKING: several hundred new papal ballots were just discovered in maricopa country</p>
  433. <p>&mdash; Nightmare Vision (@GodCloseMyEyes) <a href="https://twitter.com/GodCloseMyEyes/status/1920527774206349460?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
  434. <p> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
  435. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
  436. <p lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/FZMthK8qDT">pic.twitter.com/FZMthK8qDT</a></p>
  437. <p>&mdash; Clark Street Dog (@ClarkStreetDog) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClarkStreetDog/status/1920535527444418895?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
  438. <p> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
  439. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
  440. <p lang="en" dir="ltr">The MAGA crowd is losing its mind over the election of the first American pope. Can’t wait for the conspiracy theories about a rigged conclave. <a href="https://t.co/xPAFJR0AXQ">pic.twitter.com/xPAFJR0AXQ</a></p>
  441. <p>&mdash; Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/RpsAgainstTrump/status/1920573317838242271?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
  442. <p> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
  443. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
  444. <p lang="en" dir="ltr">MAGA freakout over the pope is under way&#8230; <a href="https://t.co/KmT6rMN4fm">pic.twitter.com/KmT6rMN4fm</a></p>
  445. <p>&mdash; Matthew Gertz (@MattGertz) <a href="https://twitter.com/MattGertz/status/1920549149029621847?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
  446. <p> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
  447. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
  448. <p lang="en" dir="ltr">I just scanned the new Pope&#39;s X account over the past 10 years and found only these 3 posts regarding American politics. He is a registered Republican. <a href="https://t.co/WtGMF7XJf5">pic.twitter.com/WtGMF7XJf5</a></p>
  449. <p>&mdash; Mary M Howard (@howardhaven) <a href="https://twitter.com/howardhaven/status/1920549130457235492?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
  450. <p> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
  451. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
  452. <p lang="qst" dir="ltr">Shhhhh <a href="https://t.co/XYnjVIWZVT">https://t.co/XYnjVIWZVT</a></p>
  453. <p>&mdash; Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheRickWilson/status/1920607269269516781?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
  454. <p> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
  455. <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com/reaction-to-cardinal-robert-prevost-being-named-pope-leo-xiv/">Reaction to Cardinal Robert Prevost Being Named Pope Leo XIV</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com">The Moderate Voice</a>.</p>
  456. ]]></content:encoded>
  458. <wfw:commentRss>https://themoderatevoice.com/reaction-to-cardinal-robert-prevost-being-named-pope-leo-xiv/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  459. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  462. </item>
  463. <item>
  464. <title>Even with Pope Leo XIV in place, US Catholics stand ‘at a crossroads’</title>
  465. <link>https://themoderatevoice.com/even-with-pope-leo-xiv-in-place-us-catholics-stand-at-a-crossroads/</link>
  466. <comments>https://themoderatevoice.com/even-with-pope-leo-xiv-in-place-us-catholics-stand-at-a-crossroads/#respond</comments>
  468. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Guest Voice]]></dc:creator>
  469. <pubDate>Thu, 08 May 2025 19:48:13 +0000</pubDate>
  470. <category><![CDATA[Catholics]]></category>
  471. <category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
  472. <category><![CDATA[Religion]]></category>
  473. <category><![CDATA[Society]]></category>
  474. <category><![CDATA[American Christianity]]></category>
  475. <category><![CDATA[Catholicism]]></category>
  476. <category><![CDATA[ethics]]></category>
  477. <category><![CDATA[Roman Catholic Church]]></category>
  478. <category><![CDATA[Roman Catholics]]></category>
  479. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://themoderatevoice.com/?p=285804</guid>
  480.  
  481. <description><![CDATA[<p>Parishioners attend a memorial Mass in honor of Pope Francis at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles on April 21, 2025. Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images Maureen K. Day, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences Shortly after 6 P.M. in Rome, the longed-for sight appeared above the<a class="read-more" href="https://themoderatevoice.com/even-with-pope-leo-xiv-in-place-us-catholics-stand-at-a-crossroads/"> [&#8230;]</a></p>
  482. <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com/even-with-pope-leo-xiv-in-place-us-catholics-stand-at-a-crossroads/">Even with Pope Leo XIV in place, US Catholics stand ‘at a crossroads’</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com">The Moderate Voice</a>.</p>
  483. ]]></description>
  484. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>      <img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/665929/original/file-20250505-56-cwegu1.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&#038;rect=0%2C0%2C1024%2C687&#038;q=45&#038;auto=format&#038;w=754&#038;fit=clip" /><figcaption>
  485.          Parishioners attend a memorial Mass in honor of Pope Francis at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles on April 21, 2025.<br />
  486.          <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/parishioners-attend-a-memorial-mass-in-honor-of-pope-news-photo/2210770796?adppopup=true">Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images</a></span><br />
  487.        </figcaption><span><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/maureen-k-day-2378352">Maureen K. Day</a>, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/usc-dornsife-college-of-letters-arts-and-sciences-2669">USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences</a></em></span></p>
  488. <p><em>Shortly after 6 P.M. in Rome, the longed-for sight appeared above the Sistine Chapel: white smoke.</em></p>
  489. <p><em>Over the course of a day and a half, the more than 130 members of the College of Cardinals had come to a decision on who should lead the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics. On May 8, 2025, they elected Cardinal Robert Prevost, who chose the name Leo XIV – becoming the first pope from the United States.</em></p>
  490. <p><em>The Conversation U.S. asked <a href="https://crcc.usc.edu/people/maureen-day/">Maureen Day</a>, a researcher at the University of Southern California who has written several books about the contemporary church, to explain what Catholicism looks like in the U.S. at this high-stakes moment.</em></p>
  491. <p><strong>How is Catholic identity and practice in the U.S. changing, compared with a generation ago?</strong></p>
  492. <p>In 1987, the year of the first <a href="https://www.thearda.com/data-archive?fid=GALLUP87">American Catholic Laity survey</a>, nearly half of American Catholics said that faith was “the most” or “among the most” important parts of their life. Now, only 37% say the same.</p>
  493. <p>Others are leaving the Catholic Church completely. <a href="https://gss.norc.org/us/en/gss/about-the-gss.html">The General Social Survey</a>, a national survey conducted every year or two since the 1970s, asks people about the faith they grew up with, as well as their present religious identity. According to <a href="https://nyupress.org/9781479832187/catholicism-at-a-crossroads/">our analysis of its data</a>, in 1973 only 10% of Americans who grew up Catholic had changed religions, and another 7% had left religion altogether. By 2018, each of those percentages had increased to 18%.</p>
  494. <p>A Pew Research Center study conducted in 2024 found that for every American who converts to Catholicism, <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2025/02/26/religious-switching/">another 8.4 leave</a>. The only reason that Catholicism is able to maintain a relatively steady share of the U.S. population – <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/religious-landscape-study/religious-tradition/catholic/">about 20%</a> – is due to the <a href="https://www.prb.org/resources/immigration-gives-catholicism-a-boost-in-the-united-states/">high percentage</a> of immigrants and migrants <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/03/04/10-facts-about-us-catholics/">who are Catholic</a>. </p>
  495. <p>So my co-authors and I chose the title of our 2025 book, “<a href="https://nyupress.org/9781479832187/catholicism-at-a-crossroads/">Catholicism at a Crossroads</a>,” quite intentionally. The church has been facing a variety of challenges for decades, both nationally and <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-catholic-church-is-increasingly-diverse-and-so-are-its-controversies-189038">across the globe</a>. It’s not just about disaffiliation, but also issues such as the <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-catholic-church-sex-abuse-crisis-4-essential-reads-169442">sexual abuse crises</a> and bishops’ <a href="https://www.ncronline.org/opinion/guest-voices/us-catholics-political-attitudes-its-complicated-hopeful">decreasing influence on lay Catholics’ personal decisions</a>. </p>
  496. <figure class="align-center zoomable">
  497.            <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/665989/original/file-20250506-56-gh5ah5.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img alt="A priest in pink and white robes stands near the altar in front of a congregation." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/665989/original/file-20250506-56-gh5ah5.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/665989/original/file-20250506-56-gh5ah5.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665989/original/file-20250506-56-gh5ah5.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665989/original/file-20250506-56-gh5ah5.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665989/original/file-20250506-56-gh5ah5.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665989/original/file-20250506-56-gh5ah5.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665989/original/file-20250506-56-gh5ah5.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"/></a><figcaption>
  498.              <span class="caption">The Rev. Athanasius Abanulo celebrates Mass in Lanett, Ala., in 2021. Many international clergy, like Abanulo, are helping to ease a shortage of priests in the U.S.</span><br />
  499.              <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/PriestsShortageAfricanHelp/f26990ae8b6d4a028e2f36310ec794b9/photo?Query=%22catholic%20church%22%20u.s.&amp;mediaType=photo&amp;sortBy=creationdatetime:desc&amp;dateRange=Anytime&amp;totalCount=867&amp;currentItemNo=57">AP Photo/Jessie Wardarski</a></span><br />
  500.            </figcaption></figure>
  501. <p>In response, church leaders have mostly offered minor adjustments, such as encouraging parishes to become more family- or young adult-friendly. They have not yet made larger shifts that could substantially alter some of those trend lines.</p>
  502. <p><strong>Some of your work focuses on what you call ‘cultural Catholics’ ? defined as Catholics who attend Mass less than once per month. How would you describe cultural Catholicism in the U.S. today?</strong></p>
  503. <p>A big concern of Catholic leaders right now is <a href="https://www.ncregister.com/news/the-catholic-church-battles-to-fill-the-pews">decreasing Mass attendance</a>, as weekly Mass is an important <a href="https://www.vatican.va/content/catechism/en/part_three/section_one/chapter_three/article_3/ii_the_precepts_of_the_church.html">precept of the Catholic Church</a>. Sunday Mass is a place for Catholics to participate in the sacraments, strengthen their faith and build relationships with other Catholics.</p>
  504. <p>One of the things Catholic leaders tend to attribute this drop in attendance to is a broader trend of secularism. There might be some merit to this, but <a href="https://nyupress.org/9781479832187/catholicism-at-a-crossroads/">it can’t be the whole story</a>. In our analysis of General Social Survey data, for example, the percentage of Protestant Christians who say they attend worship services weekly was 35% in 1950 and 40% in 2023. Among Catholics, however, weekly Mass attendance has declined from 63% to 30% in these same years.</p>
  505. <p>“Cultural Catholics” who say they attend Mass “a few times a year” or “seldom or never” account for <a href="https://litpress.org/Products/00702/Cultural-Catholics">53% of U.S. Catholics</a>. Many of them demonstrate strong ties to Catholic teachings in other ways. For example, around 70% to 80% of cultural Catholics say that it is “essential” or “somewhat essential” to Catholicism to help the poor, have a devotion to Mary and practice daily prayer.</p>
  506. <p>There are findings that can lend themselves to either a “glass half empty” or “glass half full” interpretation. For instance, it might be heartening to Catholic leaders to know that 62% of cultural Catholics say it is important that future generations of their family are Catholic – although this is much lower than the 89% among those who attend Mass frequently. </p>
  507. <figure class="align-center zoomable">
  508.            <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/665992/original/file-20250506-56-5df8id.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img alt="A woman in a white dress and black head covering sits at a table in a classroom with five teenagers seated around her." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/665992/original/file-20250506-56-5df8id.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/665992/original/file-20250506-56-5df8id.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665992/original/file-20250506-56-5df8id.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665992/original/file-20250506-56-5df8id.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665992/original/file-20250506-56-5df8id.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665992/original/file-20250506-56-5df8id.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665992/original/file-20250506-56-5df8id.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"/></a><figcaption>
  509.              <span class="caption">Sister Maris Stella Vaughan teaches a religion class at St. John Paul II Catholic School in Phoenix, Ariz., in 2020.</span><br />
  510.              <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/USCatholicChurchElFuturo/ac0ca87d99af470fbe062c80acc00bcb/photo?Query=%22catholic%20church%22%20u.s.&amp;mediaType=photo&amp;sortBy=creationdatetime:desc&amp;dateRange=Anytime&amp;totalCount=867&amp;currentItemNo=176">AP Photo/Dario Lopez-Mills</a></span><br />
  511.            </figcaption></figure>
  512. <p>And when these cultural Catholics imagine future generations of their family being Catholic, what does that mean? Perhaps it entails simply a few milestones, like receiving baptism, First Communion and possibly Confirmation – the three sacraments that initiate a person into the Catholic faith. The way many cultural Catholics are loosely tethered to the church, without much involvement in parish life, is a great concern for many Catholic leaders.</p>
  513. <p><strong>What main challenges do you see for the American church under the next pope?</strong></p>
  514. <p>I would argue that the American church’s biggest challenge is how to heal the factionalism within itself. </p>
  515. <p>On the one hand, there is <a href="https://nyupress.org/9781479832187/catholicism-at-a-crossroads/">a great deal of common ground</a> among the most active Catholics, even with the diversity still found here. According to our analysis, 20% of Catholics are “high commitment”: those who say they attend Mass weekly, are unlikely to leave the faith, and that the church is very important to them. These Catholics are more likely to <a href="https://www.ncronline.org/opinion/guest-voices/us-catholics-political-attitudes-its-complicated-hopeful">depart from their political party’s position</a> on an issue if it does not align with Catholic teachings. For example, high-commitment Catholic Republicans are much more likely to support the bishops’ position on making the immigration process easier for families. High-commitment Catholic Democrats, meanwhile, are more likely to be against abortion than are their moderate- or low-commitment counterparts.</p>
  516. <p>In other words, these high-commitment Catholics tend to be less polarized and could find common cause with one another.</p>
  517. <figure class="align-center zoomable">
  518.            <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/665995/original/file-20250506-56-1gvv9e.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img alt="People in pews kneel in prayer, with some holding their clasped hands up toward their faces." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/665995/original/file-20250506-56-1gvv9e.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/665995/original/file-20250506-56-1gvv9e.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=411&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665995/original/file-20250506-56-1gvv9e.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=411&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665995/original/file-20250506-56-1gvv9e.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=411&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665995/original/file-20250506-56-1gvv9e.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=517&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665995/original/file-20250506-56-1gvv9e.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=517&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665995/original/file-20250506-56-1gvv9e.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=517&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"/></a><figcaption>
  519.              <span class="caption">Catholics pray during Mass at Benedictine College on Dec. 3, 2023, in Atchison, Kan.</span><br />
  520.              <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/ChangingCatholicChurch/db641487f508461682b6bd33ac00c2aa/photo?Query=benedictine%20college&amp;mediaType=photo&amp;sortBy=creationdatetime:desc&amp;dateRange=Anytime&amp;totalCount=21&amp;currentItemNo=9">AP Photo/Charlie Riedel</a></span><br />
  521.            </figcaption></figure>
  522. <p>However, there are more extreme pockets – <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/28/maga-catholics-vatican-pope-conclave">such as those who called into question the legitimacy of Francis’ papacy</a> – that are more militant about their vision of Catholicism. While these Catholics are few in number, they are very vocal. There are fringe groups that mobilized to try to <a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/vaticans-church-catholic-pope-francis-hard-right/">change the direction of the Catholic Church</a> after Francis’ papacy, which they saw as a series of liberal reforms. </p>
  523. <p>Within more mainstream Catholicism, there are divides over styles of worship, with media attention on some young Americans <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/traditional-catholicism-photography">flocking to more conservative or traditional parishes</a>. However, sociologist <a href="https://hss.tcnj.edu/hss-faculty/tim-clydesdale/">Tim Clydesdale</a> and religion scholar <a href="https://garcesfoley.marymount.edu/about-me">Kathleen Garces-Foley</a> found that <a href="https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-twentysomething-soul-9780190931353">young adult Catholics are split</a>: While some are attracted to churches with pastors who demonstrate “orthodoxy,” a similar number prefer “openness.”</p>
  524. <p><strong>What do you wish more people understood about Catholicism in the U.S.?</strong></p>
  525. <p>I think the “missing piece” for many is <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/03/04/10-facts-about-us-catholics/">the incredible diversity of U.S. Catholicism</a>, from race and ethnicity to politics and practice. Many Americans tend to associate the religion with one or two issues, such as abortion and same-sex marriage, and assume that Catholics are fairly monolithic, both in their demographics and their politics. </p>
  526. <p>Catholics themselves can also forget – or never learn – that their small slice of Catholicism is not the whole of Catholicism.</p>
  527. <p>Recognizing and elevating what unites this vast family of Catholics, both personally and collectively, is going to be critical as the church moves forward.</p>
  528. <p><em>This article was updated on May 8, 2025 to include Pope Leo XIV’s election.</em><!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img loading="lazy" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/255177/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p>
  529. <p><span><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/maureen-k-day-2378352">Maureen K. Day</a>, Research Fellow, Center for Religion and Civic Culture and Institute for Advanced Catholic Studies, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/usc-dornsife-college-of-letters-arts-and-sciences-2669">USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences</a></em></span></p>
  530. <p>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/even-with-pope-leo-xiv-in-place-us-catholics-stand-at-a-crossroads-255177">original article</a>.</p>
  531. <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com/even-with-pope-leo-xiv-in-place-us-catholics-stand-at-a-crossroads/">Even with Pope Leo XIV in place, US Catholics stand ‘at a crossroads’</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com">The Moderate Voice</a>.</p>
  532. ]]></content:encoded>
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  538. </item>
  539. <item>
  540. <title>Pope Leo XIV faces limits on changing the Catholic Church – but Francis made reforms that set the stage for larger changes</title>
  541. <link>https://themoderatevoice.com/pope-leo-xiv-faces-limits-on-changing-the-catholic-church-but-francis-made-reforms-that-set-the-stage-for-larger-changes/</link>
  542. <comments>https://themoderatevoice.com/pope-leo-xiv-faces-limits-on-changing-the-catholic-church-but-francis-made-reforms-that-set-the-stage-for-larger-changes/#respond</comments>
  544. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Guest Voice]]></dc:creator>
  545. <pubDate>Thu, 08 May 2025 19:29:19 +0000</pubDate>
  546. <category><![CDATA[Catholics]]></category>
  547. <category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
  548. <category><![CDATA[Religion]]></category>
  549. <category><![CDATA[Society]]></category>
  550. <category><![CDATA[Catholic Church]]></category>
  551. <category><![CDATA[Pope Francis]]></category>
  552. <category><![CDATA[Pope Leo]]></category>
  553. <category><![CDATA[Roman Catholics]]></category>
  554. <category><![CDATA[Sexual Abuse]]></category>
  555. <category><![CDATA[Synod]]></category>
  556. <category><![CDATA[Women's ordination]]></category>
  557. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://themoderatevoice.com/?p=285801</guid>
  558.  
  559. <description><![CDATA[<p>Newly elected Pope Leo XIV appears at the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican on Thursday, May 8, 2025. AP Photo/Andrew Medichini Dennis Doyle, University of Dayton Cardinal Robert Prevost of the United States has been picked to be the new leader of the Roman Catholic Church; he will be known as Pope<a class="read-more" href="https://themoderatevoice.com/pope-leo-xiv-faces-limits-on-changing-the-catholic-church-but-francis-made-reforms-that-set-the-stage-for-larger-changes/"> [&#8230;]</a></p>
  560. <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com/pope-leo-xiv-faces-limits-on-changing-the-catholic-church-but-francis-made-reforms-that-set-the-stage-for-larger-changes/">Pope Leo XIV faces limits on changing the Catholic Church &#8211; but Francis made reforms that set the stage for larger changes</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com">The Moderate Voice</a>.</p>
  561. ]]></description>
  562. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>      <img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/666813/original/file-20250508-56-2nbzfs.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&#038;rect=22%2C0%2C1909%2C926&#038;q=45&#038;auto=format&#038;w=754&#038;fit=clip" /><figcaption>
  563.          Newly elected Pope Leo XIV appears at the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican on Thursday, May 8, 2025.<br />
  564.          <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/VaticanConclaveNewPope/61240f6253ac4e65a04f6ec116010ee2/photo?hpSectionId=20824266953646e185c9b0356ce2899b&#038;st=hpsection&#038;mediaType=photo&#038;dateRange=Anytime&#038;totalCount=609&#038;currentItemNo=3">AP Photo/Andrew Medichini</a></span><br />
  565.        </figcaption><span><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/dennis-doyle-2389432">Dennis Doyle</a>, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-dayton-1726">University of Dayton</a></em></span></p>
  566. <p>Cardinal Robert Prevost of the United States has been picked to be <a href="https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/new-pope-conclave-day-two-05-08-25">the new leader of the Roman Catholic Church</a>; he will be known as Pope Leo XIV. </p>
  567. <p>Attention now turns to what vision the first U.S. pope will bring.</p>
  568. <p>Change is hard to bring about in the Catholic Church. During his pontificate, Francis often gestured toward change without actually changing church doctrines. He permitted discussion of ordaining married men in remote regions where populations were greatly underserved due to a lack of priests, but he <a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-news-international-news-pope-francis-latin-america-europe-c7f3dd10f458cb02fa9fa725c096d7db">did not actually allow it</a>. On his own initiative, he set up a commission to study the possibility of ordaining women as deacons, but <a href="https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2024/05/21/pope-francis-60-minutes-women-deacons-247995">he did not follow it through</a>. </p>
  569. <p>However, he did allow priests to <a href="https://www.vatican.va/content/dam/francesco/pdf/apost_exhortations/documents/papa-francesco_esortazione-ap_20160319_amoris-laetitia_en.pdf">offer the Eucharist</a>, the most important Catholic sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, to Catholics who had divorced and remarried without being granted an annulment.</p>
  570. <p>Likewise, Francis did not change the official teaching that a sacramental marriage is between a man and a woman, but he <a href="https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2023/12/18/0901/01963.html#en">did allow for the blessing of gay couples</a>, in a manner that did appear to be a sanctioning of gay marriage. </p>
  571. <p>To what degree will the new pope stand or not stand in continuity with Francis? As a <a href="https://udayton.edu/directory/artssciences/religiousstudies/doyle_dennis.php">scholar who has studied</a> the writings and actions of the popes since the time of the Second Vatican Council, a series of meetings held to modernize the church from 1962 to 1965, I am aware that every pope comes with his own vision and his own agenda for leading the church. </p>
  572. <p>Still, the popes who immediately preceded them set practical limits on what changes could be made. There were limitations on Francis as well; however, the new pope, I argue, will have more leeway because of the signals Francis sent.</p>
  573. <h2>The process of synodality</h2>
  574. <p>Francis initiated a <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-the-synod-of-bishops-a-catholic-priest-and-theologian-explains-168937">process called “synodality</a>,” a term that combines the Greek words for “journey” and “together.” Synodality involves gathering Catholics of various ranks and points of view to share their faith and pray with each other as they address challenges faced by the church today. </p>
  575. <p>One of Francis’ favorite themes was inclusion. He carried forward the teaching of the Second Vatican Council that the Holy Spirit – that is, the Spirit of God who inspired the prophets and is believed to be sent by Christ among Christians in a special way – is at work throughout the whole church; it includes not only the hierarchy but all of the church members. This belief constituted the core principle underlying synodality.</p>
  576. <figure class="align-center zoomable">
  577.            <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/666551/original/file-20250507-56-suu1bi.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img alt="A man in a white priestly robe and a crucifix around his neck stands with several others, dressed mostly in black." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/666551/original/file-20250507-56-suu1bi.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/666551/original/file-20250507-56-suu1bi.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/666551/original/file-20250507-56-suu1bi.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/666551/original/file-20250507-56-suu1bi.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/666551/original/file-20250507-56-suu1bi.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/666551/original/file-20250507-56-suu1bi.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/666551/original/file-20250507-56-suu1bi.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"/></a><figcaption>
  578.              <span class="caption">Pope Francis with the participants of the Synod of Bishops’ 16th General Assembly in the Paul VI Hall at the Vatican on Oct. 23, 2023.</span><br />
  579.              <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/VaticanPope/7bebb64ed6424f3696df9dadc49724e2/photo?Query=pope%20francis%20synod&amp;mediaType=photo&amp;sortBy=&amp;dateRange=Anytime&amp;totalCount=50&amp;digitizationType=Digitized&amp;currentItemNo=28&amp;vs=true&amp;vs=true">AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia</a></span><br />
  580.            </figcaption></figure>
  581. <p>Francis launched a two-year global consultation process in October 2022, culminating in a synod in Rome in October 2024. Catholics all over the world offered their insights and opinions during this process. The synod discussed many issues, some of which were controversial, such as clerical sexual abuse, the need for oversight of bishops, the role of women in general and the ordination of women as deacons.</p>
  582. <p>The final synod document did not offer conclusions concerning these topics but rather aimed more at promoting the transformation of the entire Catholic Church into a synodal church in which Catholics <a href="https://www.synod.va/content/dam/synod/news/2024-10-26_final-document/ENG---Documento-finale.pdf">tackle together the many challenges of the modern world</a>. Francis refrained from issuing his own document in response, in order that the synod’s statement could stand on its own.</p>
  583. <p>The process of synodality in one sense places limits on bishops and the pope by emphasizing their need to listen closely to all church members before making decisions. In another sense, though, in the long run the process opens up the possibility for needed developments to take place when and if lay Catholics overwhelmingly testify that they believe the church should move in a certain direction.</p>
  584. <h2>Change is hard in the church</h2>
  585. <p>A pope, however, cannot simply reverse official positions that his immediate predecessors had been emphasizing. Practically speaking, there needs to be a papacy, or two, during which a pope will either remain silent on matters that call for change or at least limit himself to hints and signals on such issues.</p>
  586. <p>In 1864, Pius IX <a href="https://www.papalencyclicals.net/pius09/p9syll.htm">condemned the proposition</a> that “the Church ought to be separated from the State, and the State from the Church.” It wasn’t until 1965 – some 100 years later – that the Second Vatican Council, in The Declaration on Religious Freedom, <a href="https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decl_19651207_dignitatis-humanae_en.html">would affirm</a> that “a wrong is done when government imposes upon its people, by force or fear or other means, the profession or repudiation of any religion. …” </p>
  587. <p>A second major reason why popes may refrain from making top-down changes is that they may not want to operate like a dictator issuing executive orders in an authoritarian manner. Francis was accused by his critics of acting in this way with <a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-critics-fef5eb221e1a44a15fa7bb9aa83b9d73">his positions</a> on Eucharist for those remarried without a prior annulment and on blessings for gay couples. The major thrust of his papacy, however, with his emphasis on synodality, was actually in the opposite direction. </p>
  588. <p>Notably, when the Amazon Synod – held in Rome in October 2019 – voted 128-41 to allow for married priests in the Brazilian Amazon region, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/12/world/pope-married-priests-amazon">Francis rejected it</a> as not being the appropriate time for such a significant change. </p>
  589. <h2>Past doctrines</h2>
  590. <p>The belief that the pope should express the faith of the people and not simply his own personal opinions is not a new insight from Francis. </p>
  591. <p>The <a href="https://www.catholic.com/tract/papal-infallibility">doctrine of papal infallibility</a>, declared at the First Vatican Council in 1870, held that the pope, under certain conditions, could express the faith of the church without error. </p>
  592. <p>The <a href="https://www.papalencyclicals.net/councils/ecum20.htm">limitations and qualifications of this power include</a> that the pope be speaking not personally but in his official capacity as the head of the church; he must not be in heresy; he must be free of coercion and of sound mind; he must be addressing a matter of faith and morals; and he must consult relevant documents and other Catholics so that what he teaches represents not simply his own opinions but the faith of the church.  </p>
  593. <p>The Marian doctrines of the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption offer examples of the importance of consultation. The Immaculate Conception, proclaimed by Pope Pius IX in 1854, is the teaching that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was herself preserved from original sin, a stain inherited from Adam that Catholics believe all other human beings are born with, from the <a href="https://www.papalencyclicals.net/pius09/p9ineff.htm">moment of her conception</a>. The Assumption, proclaimed by Pius XII in 1950, is the doctrine that Mary was <a href="https://www.vatican.va/content/pius-xii/en/apost_constitutions/documents/hf_p-xii_apc_19501101_munificentissimus-deus.html">taken body and soul into heaven at the end of her earthly life</a>. </p>
  594. <p>The documents in which these doctrines were proclaimed stressed that the bishops of the church had been consulted and that the faith of the lay people was being affirmed.</p>
  595. <h2>Unity, above all</h2>
  596. <p>One of the main duties of the pope is to protect the unity of the Catholic Church. On one hand, making many changes quickly can lead to schism, an actual split in the community.</p>
  597. <p>In 2022, for example, the Global Methodist Church split from the United Methodist Church over same-sex marriage and the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/congregations-leaving-united-methodist-church-lgbtq-bans-70b8c89ea49174597f4548c249bab24f">ordination of noncelibate gay bishops</a>. There have also been various schisms within the <a href="https://anglican.ink/2023/04/12/the-great-schism/">Anglican communion in recent years</a>. The Catholic Church faces similar challenges but so far has been able to avoid schisms by limiting the actual changes being made. </p>
  598. <p>On the other hand, not making reasonable changes that acknowledge positive developments in the culture regarding issues such as the full inclusion of women or the dignity of gays and lesbians can <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/religious-landscape-study/">result in the large-scale exit of members</a>.</p>
  599. <p>Pope Leo XIV, I argue, needs to be a spiritual leader, a person of vision, who can build upon the legacy of his immediate predecessors in such a way as to meet the challenges of the present moment. He already stated that he wants a synodal church that is “<a href="https://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/cardinal-robert-prevost-osa-from-united-states-is-pope-leo-xiv/">close to the people who suffer</a>,” signaling a great deal about the direction he will take. </p>
  600. <p>If the new pope is able to update church teachings on some hot-button issues, it will be precisely because Francis set the stage for him.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img loading="lazy" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/256181/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p>
  601. <p><span><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/dennis-doyle-2389432">Dennis Doyle</a>, Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-dayton-1726">University of Dayton</a></em></span></p>
  602. <p>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/pope-leo-xiv-faces-limits-on-changing-the-catholic-church-but-francis-made-reforms-that-set-the-stage-for-larger-changes-256181">original article</a>.</p>
  603. <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com/pope-leo-xiv-faces-limits-on-changing-the-catholic-church-but-francis-made-reforms-that-set-the-stage-for-larger-changes/">Pope Leo XIV faces limits on changing the Catholic Church &#8211; but Francis made reforms that set the stage for larger changes</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com">The Moderate Voice</a>.</p>
  604. ]]></content:encoded>
  606. <wfw:commentRss>https://themoderatevoice.com/pope-leo-xiv-faces-limits-on-changing-the-catholic-church-but-francis-made-reforms-that-set-the-stage-for-larger-changes/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  607. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  610. </item>
  611. <item>
  612. <title>The recent Canadian election and the lesson for America</title>
  613. <link>https://themoderatevoice.com/the-recent-canadian-election-and-the-lesson-for-america/</link>
  614. <comments>https://themoderatevoice.com/the-recent-canadian-election-and-the-lesson-for-america/#respond</comments>
  616. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Richard Barry, Associate Editor - Politics and the Arts]]></dc:creator>
  617. <pubDate>Thu, 08 May 2025 17:26:46 +0000</pubDate>
  618. <category><![CDATA[Canada]]></category>
  619. <category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
  620. <category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category>
  621. <category><![CDATA[United States]]></category>
  622. <category><![CDATA[Mark Carney]]></category>
  623. <category><![CDATA[Pierre Poilievre]]></category>
  624. <category><![CDATA[President Trump]]></category>
  625. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://themoderatevoice.com/?p=285788</guid>
  626.  
  627. <description><![CDATA[<p>This week many Americans got their first look at new Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. Although Carney seems to have an impish sense of humour, for the most part he comes across as the banker he is and as a serious and highly intelligent guy with an impressive resume. More than anything, he&#8217;s a manager.<a class="read-more" href="https://themoderatevoice.com/the-recent-canadian-election-and-the-lesson-for-america/"> [&#8230;]</a></p>
  628. <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com/the-recent-canadian-election-and-the-lesson-for-america/">The recent Canadian election and the lesson for America</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com">The Moderate Voice</a>.</p>
  629. ]]></description>
  630. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img loading="lazy" src="https://themoderatevoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/ccccc-1.jpg" alt="" width="768" height="768" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-285798" srcset="https://themoderatevoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/ccccc-1.jpg 768w, https://themoderatevoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/ccccc-1-300x300.jpg 300w, https://themoderatevoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/ccccc-1-150x150.jpg 150w" sizes="(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" /></p>
  631. <p>This week many Americans got their first look at new <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/may/07/president-trump-administration-news-updates-today">Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney</a>. Although Carney seems to have an impish sense of humour, for the most part he comes across as the banker he is and as a serious and highly intelligent guy with an impressive resume. More than anything, he&#8217;s a manager. </p>
  632. <p>A funny thing happened in the last federal election in Canada. A few months before election day on April 28th, it looked like Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre was going to easily defeat the incumbent government led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Polls showed Trudeau trailing Poilievre by as much as 25 points. Poilievre made himself an appealing option to Canadian voters by talking about affordability issues on things like housing, healthcare, and tax cuts. Inflation was frequently at the centre of his pitch. The real and frustrating difficulty families were having resonated and he looked like he was on the way to an easy victory.</p>
  633. <p>And then in late January the great disrupter took the oath of office for his second term and everything changed. By the time Canadians cast their ballots, Trudeau was gone, Carney replaced him as Liberal Party leader and prime minister. Voters main concern had become what to do about Trump particularly on the matter of tariffs and threats to Canadian sovereignty. It didn&#8217;t mean that affordability went away, as the results between the two major parties was remarkably close at least in terms of popular vote. What it did mean was that Canadians, faced with a kind of national crisis rarely seen outside of war time, opted for the experienced hand, the big brain, the manager, the father figure. To be on point with this observation,  someone at a Carney rally during the campaign actually yelled out &#8220;lead us big daddy&#8221; to giggles all around.</p>
  634. <p>Also important in the Canadian context was that Poilievre spent a lot of time tearing down his own country and its supposed failings, which, by the time the Canadians felt seriously threatened by Trump&#8217;s attacks, did&#8217;t sit well with voters. Canadian seemed to be thinking about what they had and how important it was to preserve it.</p>
  635. <p>The lesson for America is clear. Whatever the <a href="https://theconversation.com/joe-bidens-legacy-four-successes-and-four-failures-246454">failings of the Biden Administration</a>, and they were real as many Americans struggled, the world did not appear to be on fire. Yes, inflation was a problem, but the economy performed well though not for everyone. When the world is not on fire, people have the time and energy to think about what could improve in their lives, as they should. </p>
  636. <p>There are many reasons Democrats lost the White House in 2024, but one of the main reasons is surely that a workman-like stability in running the affairs of the country gave many Americans the space they needed to take stock of what they believe needed to change. Change is key in any democracy and should be encouraged. Unfortunately, there is never a guarantee the best change agent will be chosen.</p>
  637. <p>When Trump was elected, many Canadians decided they needed a Prime Minister to help them get back to a time before everything seemed like it was about the blow up. That didn&#8217;t mean they forgot about the bread and butter problems that still face the nation. They simply realized that a kind of stability was the only place from which to credibly address those problems and that they needed to get back there.</p>
  638. <p>Let us hope that Americans soon weary of the &#8220;tear-it-all down&#8221; style of the current president and that they recognize solving the problems we all know need addressing won&#8217;t mean very much if the foundation of the country is severely compromised. Perhaps this is what Trump&#8217;s disastrous current polling numbers are telling us. </p>
  639. <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com/the-recent-canadian-election-and-the-lesson-for-america/">The recent Canadian election and the lesson for America</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com">The Moderate Voice</a>.</p>
  640. ]]></content:encoded>
  642. <wfw:commentRss>https://themoderatevoice.com/the-recent-canadian-election-and-the-lesson-for-america/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  643. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  646. </item>
  647. <item>
  648. <title>TRUMP SHARPIE EDIT TO THE CONSTITUTION</title>
  649. <link>https://themoderatevoice.com/trump-sharpie-edit-to-the-constitution/</link>
  650. <comments>https://themoderatevoice.com/trump-sharpie-edit-to-the-constitution/#respond</comments>
  652. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Guest Voice]]></dc:creator>
  653. <pubDate>Thu, 08 May 2025 15:58:18 +0000</pubDate>
  654. <category><![CDATA[Authoritarianism]]></category>
  655. <category><![CDATA[Cartoons]]></category>
  656. <category><![CDATA[Democracy]]></category>
  657. <category><![CDATA[Donald Trump]]></category>
  658. <category><![CDATA[Extremists]]></category>
  659. <category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category>
  660. <category><![CDATA[Authoritarian]]></category>
  661. <category><![CDATA[Constitution]]></category>
  662. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://themoderatevoice.com/?p=285787</guid>
  663.  
  664. <description><![CDATA[<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com/trump-sharpie-edit-to-the-constitution/">TRUMP SHARPIE EDIT TO THE CONSTITUTION</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com">The Moderate Voice</a>.</p>
  665. ]]></description>
  666. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img loading="lazy" src="https://themoderatevoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/295631_768_rgb.jpg" alt="" width="768" height="538" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-285789" srcset="https://themoderatevoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/295631_768_rgb.jpg 768w, https://themoderatevoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/295631_768_rgb-300x210.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" /></p>
  667. <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com/trump-sharpie-edit-to-the-constitution/">TRUMP SHARPIE EDIT TO THE CONSTITUTION</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com">The Moderate Voice</a>.</p>
  668. ]]></content:encoded>
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  671. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  674. </item>
  675. <item>
  676. <title>News flash: Prime Minister Carney’s meeting with President Trump wasn’t awful</title>
  677. <link>https://themoderatevoice.com/news-flash-prime-minister-carneys-meeting-with-president-trump-wasnt-awful/</link>
  678. <comments>https://themoderatevoice.com/news-flash-prime-minister-carneys-meeting-with-president-trump-wasnt-awful/#respond</comments>
  680. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Richard Barry, Associate Editor - Politics and the Arts]]></dc:creator>
  681. <pubDate>Wed, 07 May 2025 17:51:53 +0000</pubDate>
  682. <category><![CDATA[Canada]]></category>
  683. <category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
  684. <category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category>
  685. <category><![CDATA[United States]]></category>
  686. <category><![CDATA[Donald Trump]]></category>
  687. <category><![CDATA[Justin Trudeau]]></category>
  688. <category><![CDATA[Prime Minister Carney]]></category>
  689. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://themoderatevoice.com/?p=285772</guid>
  690.  
  691. <description><![CDATA[<p>Press reports from Canada suggest satisfaction with yesterday&#8217;s meeting between Prime Minister Carney and President Trump. As the Globe and Mail reported, there were no breakthroughs but also no blowups. Given recent events, that&#8217;s considered a win. Most notable is the personal politics of the encounter. Trump made no secret of his dislike of former<a class="read-more" href="https://themoderatevoice.com/news-flash-prime-minister-carneys-meeting-with-president-trump-wasnt-awful/"> [&#8230;]</a></p>
  692. <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com/news-flash-prime-minister-carneys-meeting-with-president-trump-wasnt-awful/">News flash: Prime Minister Carney&#8217;s meeting with President Trump wasn&#8217;t awful</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com">The Moderate Voice</a>.</p>
  693. ]]></description>
  694. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img loading="lazy" src="https://themoderatevoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/aaaaaaaas.jpg" alt="" width="686" height="386" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-285784" srcset="https://themoderatevoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/aaaaaaaas.jpg 686w, https://themoderatevoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/aaaaaaaas-300x169.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 686px) 100vw, 686px" /></p>
  695. <p>Press reports from Canada suggest satisfaction with yesterday&#8217;s meeting between Prime Minister Carney and President Trump. <a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-trump-says-he-is-not-sure-usmca-is-still-necessary-as-he-hosts-carney/">As the Globe and Mail reported</a>, there were no breakthroughs but also no blowups. Given recent events, that&#8217;s considered a win. Most notable is the personal politics of the encounter. Trump made no secret of his dislike of former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau while making it very clear Carney was more his cup of tea. </p>
  696. <p>Mark Carney was elected as Prime Minister of Canada just over a week ago largely on the judgement of voters that he was the best person to deal with Trump after the relationship between the two countries had become tense. In addition to Trump imposing punishing tariffs on Canadian imports, he relentlessly baited Canada by calling it the 51st state, stating outright that its status as a sovereign nation was unnecessary, and calling then-Prime Minister Trudeau governor (as if Canada were already a state) to make his point as only a man in love with frat-boy humour could do. </p>
  697. <p>As former governor of both the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England and international finance big brain, Carney seems to be someone Trump feels he can respect &#8211; a worthy opponent perhaps. The implications of that respect, though not immediately clear as a result of yesterday&#8217;s meeting, could be that the temperature can now come down. With that, it is possible real progress can be made on issues that matter like tariffs, defence spending, and the border. </p>
  698. <p>Before stepping down as prime minister, Trudeau had become very unpopular as was reflected in public polling, which had him at times down by about 25 points to his closest rival Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre. Trudeau was first elected in 2015 and as is common in Canadian politics, a leader starts to become unwelcome after that long in power. Also true is that Trudeau&#8217;s brand of unctuous, overly emotional, intellectually light, performance-centred style of politics had begun to wear on Canadians. Carney, though a member of Trudeau&#8217;s Liberal Party, was deemed sufficiently serious to lead the country, to be able to stand up to Trump, and was duly election. </p>
  699. <p>There is almost nothing that separated Carney from Trudeau in terms of the substance of their criticism of Trump, of his actions and statements. Clearly the quality of the bearer of the message mattered. At least on that one score, Canadians may have chosen well. </p>
  700. <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com/news-flash-prime-minister-carneys-meeting-with-president-trump-wasnt-awful/">News flash: Prime Minister Carney&#8217;s meeting with President Trump wasn&#8217;t awful</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com">The Moderate Voice</a>.</p>
  701. ]]></content:encoded>
  703. <wfw:commentRss>https://themoderatevoice.com/news-flash-prime-minister-carneys-meeting-with-president-trump-wasnt-awful/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  704. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  707. </item>
  708. <item>
  709. <title>DOGE Aide Who Helped Gut CFPB Was Warned About Potential Conflicts of Interest</title>
  710. <link>https://themoderatevoice.com/doge-aide-who-helped-gut-cfpb-was-warned-about-potential-conflicts-of-interest/</link>
  711. <comments>https://themoderatevoice.com/doge-aide-who-helped-gut-cfpb-was-warned-about-potential-conflicts-of-interest/#respond</comments>
  713. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Guest Voice]]></dc:creator>
  714. <pubDate>Wed, 07 May 2025 17:00:30 +0000</pubDate>
  715. <category><![CDATA[Corruption]]></category>
  716. <category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
  717. <category><![CDATA[Government]]></category>
  718. <category><![CDATA[Journalism]]></category>
  719. <category><![CDATA[Law]]></category>
  720. <category><![CDATA[Media]]></category>
  721. <category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category>
  722. <category><![CDATA[conflict of interest]]></category>
  723. <category><![CDATA[Crime]]></category>
  724. <category><![CDATA[DOGE]]></category>
  725. <category><![CDATA[ethics]]></category>
  726. <category><![CDATA[Gavin Kliger]]></category>
  727. <category><![CDATA[government]]></category>
  728. <category><![CDATA[Investigative Journalism]]></category>
  729. <category><![CDATA[ProPublica]]></category>
  730. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://themoderatevoice.com/?p=285773</guid>
  731.  
  732. <description><![CDATA[<p>DOGE Aide Who Helped Gut CFPB Was Warned About Potential Conflicts of Interest by Jake Pearson ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Sign up for The Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox. Last month, a Department of Government Efficiency aide at the nation’s consumer watchdog agency was told<a class="read-more" href="https://themoderatevoice.com/doge-aide-who-helped-gut-cfpb-was-warned-about-potential-conflicts-of-interest/"> [&#8230;]</a></p>
  733. <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com/doge-aide-who-helped-gut-cfpb-was-warned-about-potential-conflicts-of-interest/">DOGE Aide Who Helped Gut CFPB Was Warned About Potential Conflicts of Interest</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com">The Moderate Voice</a>.</p>
  734. ]]></description>
  735. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img loading="lazy" src="https://themoderatevoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/eeeee-1-e1746636970938.jpg" alt="" width="760" height="506" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-285775" /></p>
  736. <h1>DOGE Aide Who Helped Gut CFPB Was Warned About Potential Conflicts of Interest</h1>
  737. <p>by Jake Pearson</p>
  738. <p><em>ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Sign up for <a href="https://www.propublica.org/newsletters/the-big-story?source=reprint&#038;placement=top-note">The Big Story newsletter</a> to receive stories like this one in your inbox</em>.</p>
  739. <div>
  740. <p>Last month, a Department of Government Efficiency aide at the nation’s consumer watchdog agency was told by ethics attorneys that he held stock in companies that employees are forbidden from owning — and was advised not to participate in any actions that could benefit him personally, according to a person familiar with the warning.</p>
  741. <p>But days later, court records show, <a href="https://projects.propublica.org/elon-musk-doge-tracker/#Gavin-Kliger">Gavin Kliger</a>, a 25-year-old software engineer who has been detailed to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau since early March, went ahead and participated in mass layoffs at the agency anyway, including the firings of the ethics lawyers who had warned him.</p>
  742. <p>Experts said that Kliger’s actions, which ProPublica first reported on last week, <a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/doge-consumer-financial-protection-bureau-gavin-kliger-stock">constitute a conflict of interest that could violate federal criminal ethics laws</a>. Such measures are designed to ensure that federal employees serve the public interest and don’t use their government power to enrich themselves. At the CFPB, which regulates companies that provide financial services, there are strict prohibitions on the investments that employees can maintain.</p>
  743. <p>As ProPublica previously reported, Kliger owns as much as $365,000 worth of shares in Apple Inc., Tesla Inc. and two cryptocurrencies, according to his <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25553901-kliger-gavin-od-new-entrant-278-2025-2025-02-10/">public financial report</a>. Investments in those businesses are off limits to employees since the bureau can regulate them. A further review now shows that he’s invested in even more companies that are on the agency’s “Prohibited Holdings” list. Kliger also disclosed owning as much as $350,000 worth of stock in Google parent Alphabet Inc., Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway and the Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba.</p>
  744. <p>That means, at a maximum, Kliger could own as much as $715,000 of investments in seven barred companies, the records show.</p>
  745. <p>Experts said a defanged and downsized consumer watchdog is unlikely to aggressively regulate those and other companies, freeing them of compliance costs and the risk associated with examinations and enforcement actions. That in turn could boost their stock prices and benefit investors like Kliger.</p>
  746. <p>Don Fox, a former general counsel of the independent federal agency that advises executive branch workers on their ethical obligations, said that “this looks like a pretty clear-cut violation” of the federal criminal conflict-of-interest statute.</p>
  747. <p>Richard Briffault, a government ethics expert at Columbia Law School, said the fact that Kliger was warned not to take any actions that could benefit him personally showed that “he’s on notice that this is a problem, as opposed to doing this by accident, or unintentionally.”</p>
  748. <p>But Briffault said there would likely be no recourse for Kliger’s actions given that the Department of Justice under President Donald Trump has “greatly deprioritized public integrity, ethics and public corruption as issues for them.” <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/28/us/politics/trump-doj-civil-rights.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&#038;referringSource=articleShare">The New York Times reported</a> last week that the section handling such cases is down to just a handful of lawyers.</p>
  749. <p>From the outset, the Trump administration has been dogged by ethics controversies, from the president’s <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/29/us/politics/trump-crypto-world-liberty-financial.html">own foray into the cryptocurrency industry</a> to Elon Musk’s dual roles as both <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/apr/28/elon-musk-doge-conflict-of-interest">the head of DOGE and a major federal contractor</a>. Kliger’s case is “a nice illustration of how even on this micro level, they are violating the law, acting in ways that positively should cause people to not trust what they’re doing because there is no question that these corporations will benefit,” said Kathleen Clark, an expert on government ethics at Washington University in St. Louis.</p>
  750. <p>Kliger hasn’t returned a phone call or email seeking comment. The CFPB didn’t respond to a request for comment.</p>
  751. <p>The White House didn’t answer questions about the warning, whether Kliger had sought ethics waivers or if he was in the process of divesting. Instead, a spokesperson provided ProPublica the same statement it previously had, writing that Kliger “did not even manage” the layoffs, “making this entire narrative an outright lie.” A spokesperson said that Kliger had until May 8 to divest.</p>
  752. <p>The April 10 ethics warning came amid a heated legal battle over the future of the CFPB.</p>
  753. <p>The following day, an appeals court in Washington, D.C., allowed the agency’s acting director, Russell Vought, to implement mass firings after a lower court judge had stayed them. The court instructed Vought to <a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.cadc.41898/gov.uscourts.cadc.41898.01208729648.0.pdf">conduct a “particularized assessment</a>” of the bureau and to lay off only those employees who were deemed to be “unnecessary” to perform the agency’s statutorily required duties. In court filings, the government has said that review was done by the bureau’s chief legal officer, Mark Paoletta, and two other attorneys. In court papers, Paoletta has said the cuts are designed to achieve a “streamlined and right-sized Bureau.”</p>
  754. <p>On April 13, Kliger was among a small team of DOGE and agency officials who received an email from Vought about the coming layoffs with the subject line “CFPB RIF Work” — government parlance for reduction in force, <a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.277287/gov.uscourts.dcd.277287.131.1.pdf">according to emails produced in court records</a>. Vought’s email is redacted in the filing, but hours after he sent it, records show the bureau’s chief information officer wrote to Kliger and another DOGE aide regarding a “follow-up on Russ’s note below” and advised Kliger that he’d been granted access to agency computer systems that “should allow you to do what you need to do,” according to the email.</p>
  755. <p>Layoff notices to more than 1,400 bureau employees went out on April 17.</p>
  756. <p>In the preceding 36 hours, “Gavin was screaming at people he did not believe were working fast enough” to get the notices out and “calling them incompetent,” a federal employee on the layoff team using the pseudonym Alex Doe wrote in <a href="https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/alex-doe-doge-cfpb-declaration.pdf">sworn declaration</a> filed by lawyers for unionized employees trying to stop the administration from dismantling the bureau.</p>
  757. <p>Among those laid off were the agency’s ethics officer and their “entire team” of lawyers, <a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.277287/gov.uscourts.dcd.277287.127.14.pdf">according to court records</a>.</p>
  758. <p>Those are the very employees who’d twice notified Kliger that he was required to identify any investments in companies on the bureau’s Prohibited Holdings list. The warning last month explicitly instructed him not to participate in any bureau activity that could benefit the businesses whose stocks he owned, said the person familiar with the notice, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of its sensitivity.</p>
  759. <p>Last week, the appeals court <a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.cadc.41898/gov.uscourts.cadc.41898.01208734554.0.pdf">reversed course and temporarily stopped the firings</a> at the CFPB amid a flurry of legal challenges. Agency officials then notified the more than 1,400 fired employees who’d been told they were being let go that the pink slips were being rescinded.</p>
  760. <p>The court battle over the CFPB’s future is ongoing, though, with oral arguments before appellate judges in Washington, D.C., scheduled for later this month.</p>
  761. </div>
  762. <link rel="canonical" href="https://www.propublica.org/article/cfpb-gavin-kliger-doge-conflict-of-interest-consumer-financial-protection-bureau"/><meta name="syndication-source" content="https://www.propublica.org/article/cfpb-gavin-kliger-doge-conflict-of-interest-consumer-financial-protection-bureau"/><script type="text/javascript" src="https://pixel.propublica.org/pixel.js" async></script>
  763. <p>ID <a href="https://www.dreamstime.com/department-government-efficiency-doge-guilherand-granges-france-february-enhances-public-sector-performance-image360722562">360722562</a> ©<br />
  764. <a href="https://www.dreamstime.com/photogranary_info">Simon Lehmann</a> | <a href="https://www.dreamstime.com/">Dreamstime.com</a></p>
  765. <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com/doge-aide-who-helped-gut-cfpb-was-warned-about-potential-conflicts-of-interest/">DOGE Aide Who Helped Gut CFPB Was Warned About Potential Conflicts of Interest</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com">The Moderate Voice</a>.</p>
  766. ]]></content:encoded>
  768. <wfw:commentRss>https://themoderatevoice.com/doge-aide-who-helped-gut-cfpb-was-warned-about-potential-conflicts-of-interest/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  769. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  772. </item>
  773. <item>
  774. <title>Could Trump put “his military” on the streets of America?</title>
  775. <link>https://themoderatevoice.com/could-trump-put-his-military-on-the-streets-of-america/</link>
  776. <comments>https://themoderatevoice.com/could-trump-put-his-military-on-the-streets-of-america/#respond</comments>
  778. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Richard Barry, Associate Editor - Politics and the Arts]]></dc:creator>
  779. <pubDate>Tue, 06 May 2025 23:38:36 +0000</pubDate>
  780. <category><![CDATA[At TMV]]></category>
  781. <category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
  782. <category><![CDATA[Military]]></category>
  783. <category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category>
  784. <category><![CDATA[Society]]></category>
  785. <category><![CDATA[Donald J. Trump]]></category>
  786. <category><![CDATA[Pete Hegseth]]></category>
  787. <category><![CDATA[The military]]></category>
  788. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://themoderatevoice.com/?p=285754</guid>
  789.  
  790. <description><![CDATA[<p>If you are like me, you spend far too much time sitting around with your friends talking about just how bad things could get with Trump. These chats are frequently accompanied by some embarrassment that we are talking like this. So much seems both ridiculous and plausible at the same time, but here we are.<a class="read-more" href="https://themoderatevoice.com/could-trump-put-his-military-on-the-streets-of-america/"> [&#8230;]</a></p>
  791. <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com/could-trump-put-his-military-on-the-streets-of-america/">Could Trump put &#8220;his military&#8221; on the streets of America?</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com">The Moderate Voice</a>.</p>
  792. ]]></description>
  793. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img loading="lazy" src="https://themoderatevoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/bbbbb.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="383" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-285769" srcset="https://themoderatevoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/bbbbb.jpg 800w, https://themoderatevoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/bbbbb-300x144.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></p>
  794. <p>If you are like me, you spend far too much time sitting around with your friends talking about just how bad things could get with Trump. These chats are frequently accompanied by some embarrassment that we are talking like this. So much seems both ridiculous and plausible at the same time, but here we are.</p>
  795. <p>Living in Toronto as I do, I have had conversations about what U.S. military incursion into Canada might look like, perhaps not full blown invasion but maybe the seizure of resources by force if Trump decides they are required for defence purposes. Many Americans are wondering what it would take for Trump to arrest American citizens for speech he doesn&#8217;t like. Certainly Attorney General Pam Bondi&#8217;s intention to force journalists to reveal their sources lest they risk legal peril is part of the plan. Disregard for due process is the new normal.</p>
  796. <p>These concerns are truly awful, but the one that keeps me up at night is the potential for military crackdown on lawful protests. The Posse Comitatus Act was signed on June 18, 1878 by President Rutherford B. Hayes. Still in force, it limits the ability of the federal government to use federal military personnel to enforce domestic policies within the United States. <a href="https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/posse-comitatus-act-explained">As described by the Brennan Centre for Justice</a> &#8220;This 143-year-old law embodies an American tradition that sees military interference in civilian affairs as a threat to both democracy and personal liberty.&#8221;</p>
  797. <p>Federal military personnel should not be used in domestic matters, but could it happen?</p>
  798. <p>Once again, it is almost embarrassing to posit but also strangely plausible that Trump might use &#8216;his military,&#8221; to harass, threaten, hobble, or crush the resistance. And if he were willing, how would he do it? The simplest answer, I suppose, is that he would change the military command structure.</p>
  799. <p><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/05/us/politics/pete-hegseth-military-cuts.html">And here we go</a>:</p>
  800. <blockquote><p>Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday ordered a minimum 20% reduction of four-star generals and admirals across the military, he said in a memo addressed to senior Pentagon leadership. He also ordered at least 20% of general officers in the National Guard and 10% of all flag and general officers to be cut.</p></blockquote>
  801. <p>Although the announcement claims the cuts are all in the name of efficiency, Hegseth has previously spoken of wanting to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/05/us/politics/pete-hegseth-military-cuts.html">change woke elements in the military</a>. It shouldn&#8217;t take much to figure out which among the senior military officials will be the first to go &#8211; the ones willing to say no to Trump, as he has spoken of <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/trump-suggests-hell-use-the-military-on-the-enemy-from-within-the-u-s-if-hes-reelected">getting rid of officers </a>&#8220;ideologically opposed to him.&#8221;</p>
  802. <p>So many of the awful things Trump has done begin a tich short of the worst case scenario, which somehow makes them more palatable. Of course he would start with border control, and immigration issues, before easily moving on to civil unrest &#8211; which covers an amazing amount of territory. </p>
  803. <p>It may not be Tiananmen Square, but boots in the streets can force a lot of compliance. Hegseth&#8217;s announcement on Monday got my attention. And as I consider it, I am both embarrassed by the absurdity and terrified at the possibility.</p>
  804. <p><em>ID <a href="https://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photography-soldiers-marching-image623122">623122</a> | <a href="https://www.dreamstime.com/photos-images/military.html">Military</a> ©<br />
  805. <a href="https://www.dreamstime.com/alexandr6868_info">Georgios Alexandris</a> | <a href="https://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photos">Dreamstime.com</a></em></p>
  806. <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com/could-trump-put-his-military-on-the-streets-of-america/">Could Trump put &#8220;his military&#8221; on the streets of America?</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com">The Moderate Voice</a>.</p>
  807. ]]></content:encoded>
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  810. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  813. </item>
  814. <item>
  815. <title>America’s Refugees: An Uncertain Future (Updated)</title>
  816. <link>https://themoderatevoice.com/americas-refugees-an-uncertain-future/</link>
  817. <comments>https://themoderatevoice.com/americas-refugees-an-uncertain-future/#respond</comments>
  819. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Dorian de Wind, Military Affairs Correspondent]]></dc:creator>
  820. <pubDate>Mon, 05 May 2025 15:06:13 +0000</pubDate>
  821. <category><![CDATA[2024 Presidential Election]]></category>
  822. <category><![CDATA[Afghanistan]]></category>
  823. <category><![CDATA[At TMV]]></category>
  824. <category><![CDATA[Authoritarianism]]></category>
  825. <category><![CDATA[Donald Trump]]></category>
  826. <category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
  827. <category><![CDATA[Government]]></category>
  828. <category><![CDATA[History]]></category>
  829. <category><![CDATA[Iraq]]></category>
  830. <category><![CDATA[Migrants]]></category>
  831. <category><![CDATA[Military]]></category>
  832. <category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category>
  833. <category><![CDATA[Refugees]]></category>
  834. <category><![CDATA[War]]></category>
  835. <category><![CDATA[Eglin Refugee Camp]]></category>
  836. <category><![CDATA[Iraqi refugees]]></category>
  837. <category><![CDATA[Operation New Arrivals]]></category>
  838. <category><![CDATA[Refugee programs]]></category>
  839. <category><![CDATA[Temporary Protected Status]]></category>
  840. <category><![CDATA[The fall of Saigon]]></category>
  841. <category><![CDATA[Vietnam War]]></category>
  842. <category><![CDATA[Vietnamese refugees]]></category>
  843. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://themoderatevoice.com/?p=285738</guid>
  844.  
  845. <description><![CDATA[<p>UPDATE: Reuters: “A federal appeals court rejected on Monday [May 5] a request by U.S. President Donald Trump&#8217;s administration to allow it to revoke the temporary legal status of hundreds of thousands of Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans living in the United States.” Hundreds of thousands of Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans are living in<a class="read-more" href="https://themoderatevoice.com/americas-refugees-an-uncertain-future/"> [&#8230;]</a></p>
  846. <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com/americas-refugees-an-uncertain-future/">America’s Refugees: An Uncertain Future (Updated)</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com">The Moderate Voice</a>.</p>
  847. ]]></description>
  848. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure id="attachment_285743" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-285743" style="width: 447px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" src="https://themoderatevoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Screenshot-2025-05-04-141429.png" alt="" width="447" height="312" class="size-full wp-image-285743" srcset="https://themoderatevoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Screenshot-2025-05-04-141429.png 447w, https://themoderatevoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Screenshot-2025-05-04-141429-300x209.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 447px) 100vw, 447px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-285743" class="wp-caption-text">Volunteer (center) with Vietnamese refugee family at Eglin Refugee Camp. (Photo by author)</figcaption></figure>
  849. <p><strong>UPDATE:</strong></p>
  850. <p>Reuters: </p>
  851. <blockquote><p>“A federal appeals court rejected on Monday [May 5] a request by U.S. President Donald Trump&#8217;s administration to allow it to revoke the temporary legal status of hundreds of thousands of Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans living in the United States.”</p></blockquote>
  852. <p> Hundreds of thousands of Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans are living in the United States under the United States Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP). </p>
  853. <p>Read more <a href="https://www.reuters.com/legal/us-appeals-court-rejects-trump-bid-revoke-400000-migrants-legal-status-2025-05-05/">here.</a></p>
  854. <p><strong>Original Post:</strong></p>
  855. <p>Wednesday, April 30, marked the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War.</p>
  856. <p>That date, April 30, 1975, also marked the beginning of a mass exodus of desperate South Vietnamese people fleeing their native land in search of freedom, safety and refuge in other countries.</p>
  857. <p>During the following months and years, nearly two million Vietnamese would flee their home country by boat and by any other available means, many risking their lives.</p>
  858. <p>One of the countries that generously accepted the refugees was the United States.</p>
  859. <p>Foreseeing the urgent need to manage such an exodus, days before “the Fall of Saigon,” the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff selected four U.S. military installations to receive, shelter, process, and resettle the Vietnamese refugees.</p>
  860. <p>Through an ambitious, noble program named “Operation New Arrivals,” the U.S. government would eventually process and resettle 125,000 Vietnamese refugees.</p>
  861. <p>It would become “<a href="https://www.afmc.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3593059/history-in-two-operation-new-arrival-eglin-provides-new-hope-to-refugees/">the blueprint for future humanitarian responses&#8230;</a>”  </p>
  862. <p>One of the four installations selected was Auxiliary Field 2, Pierce Field at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.</p>
  863. <p>The Eglin Armament Development and Test Center (ADTC) Commander immediately started construction of a “tent city” (below) that, within six days, would receive its first refugees; that, within only one month, would house over 5,000 refugees; that would eventually process and provide a new future for approximately 10,000 refugees, <a href="https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA017703.pdf">including 28 truly &#8220;new arrivals&#8221; who were born in the camp.</a> </p>
  864. <figure id="attachment_285744" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-285744" style="width: 855px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" src="https://themoderatevoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Screenshot-2025-05-04-140606.png" alt="" width="855" height="589" class="size-full wp-image-285744" srcset="https://themoderatevoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Screenshot-2025-05-04-140606.png 855w, https://themoderatevoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Screenshot-2025-05-04-140606-300x207.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 855px) 100vw, 855px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-285744" class="wp-caption-text">Aerial view of “tent city” under construction at Eglin Air Force Base (DoD photo)</figcaption></figure>
  865. <p>Early on a muggy, misty May morning, buses carrying the first precious charge of 320 South Vietnamese refugees arrived at the camp.</p>
  866. <p>In one of the most rewarding assignments of my military career, I was there to witness those first New Arrivals.</p>
  867. <p>As a “Senior Refugee Liaison Officer,” along with other military and civilian professionals and volunteers, I was privileged to assist with the reception, housing, health and welfare and with the resettlement of these unfortunate people.</p>
  868. <p>It would be difficult to accurately describe our emotions so many years later.</p>
  869. <p>Fortunately, shortly after my assignment, I wrote my recollections about that first day of duty at the Eglin camp.</p>
  870. <p>Here are some excerpts describing the emotions of the volunteers as we welcomed our first refugees:</p>
  871. <blockquote><p>The character of a nation is reflected in the faces of those volunteers. Some have flowers in their hands, some have tears in their eyes, and all have compassion in their hearts.</p>
  872. <p>Finally, the first bus arrives, and the door opens. A small, fragile old woman steps off the bus and breaks down in tears. An exhausted young mother holds on to a tiny baby as six more small children follow her. The father is conspicuously absent.</p>
  873. <p>Another large family gets off the bus; all their belongings are contained in a tattered pillowcase and in a small plastic bag. A young helicopter pilot steps off with just the clothes on his back, but smiling, happy to be alive, happy to be free.</p>
  874. <p>And so, it goes on: the farmer, the soldier, those who were wealthy and those who were humble; they all share the same hope for a good new life.</p>
  875. <p>These scenes will keep repeating all day long as more refugees arrive. As darkness falls, refugees keep arriving. Soon it is past midnight, and the rain comes down, but the volunteers keep working, hardly noticing the time or the weather.</p>
  876. <p>As the last busload of refugees has been bedded down, the rising Florida sun signals the start of a new day and suddenly we realize that we have been working for 24 hours, but, strangely, we are not tired. On the contrary, we feel that we have just begun to help these people.</p></blockquote>
  877. <p>Looking back, Operation New Arrivals is the embodiment of that solemn promise engraved at the pedestal of the Statute of Liberty, which reads in part:</p>
  878. <blockquote><p>“Give me your tired, your poor,<br />
  879. Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,<br />
  880. The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.<br />
  881. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,<br />
  882. I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”</p></blockquote>
  883. <p>A promise that has been firmly honored into the 21st century after wars, conflicts and humanitarian disasters in countries such as Myanmar, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iraq and, more recently, Afghanistan and Ukraine.</p>
  884. <p>But also a promise that is now being “reviewed,” suspended &#8212; even broken &#8212; by the Trump administration as it attempts to end or drastically curtail certain Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and similar refugee and asylum  programs &#8212; such as the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) &#8212; as part of its aggressive overhaul of immigration policy.</p>
  885. <p>Programs that have protected hundreds of thousands of migrants who have fled their native countries because of armed conflict, violence, natural disaster, and whose return there would expose them to extreme hardship, retribution, torture, incarceration, even the loss of life. </p>
  886. <p>Programs that have consistently “lit the lamp beside the golden door,” and have  always reflected the kind soul and spirit of America.</p>
  887. <p>&#8212;&#8212;</p>
  888. <p><em>Note: Some of these thoughts are expressed in previous articles about <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/post_b_690425">Iraqi</a> and <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/iraq-and-afghanistan-refu_b_789933">Afghan </a>refugees.</em></p>
  889. <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com/americas-refugees-an-uncertain-future/">America’s Refugees: An Uncertain Future (Updated)</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com">The Moderate Voice</a>.</p>
  890. ]]></content:encoded>
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  893. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  896. </item>
  897. <item>
  898. <title>TRUMP’S LET THEM EAT CAKE MOMENT</title>
  899. <link>https://themoderatevoice.com/trumps-let-them-eat-cake-moment/</link>
  900. <comments>https://themoderatevoice.com/trumps-let-them-eat-cake-moment/#respond</comments>
  902. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Guest Voice]]></dc:creator>
  903. <pubDate>Mon, 05 May 2025 03:33:35 +0000</pubDate>
  904. <category><![CDATA[Cartoons]]></category>
  905. <category><![CDATA[Donald Trump]]></category>
  906. <category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
  907. <category><![CDATA[Tariffs]]></category>
  908. <category><![CDATA[tariffs]]></category>
  909. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://themoderatevoice.com/?p=285730</guid>
  910.  
  911. <description><![CDATA[<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com/trumps-let-them-eat-cake-moment/">TRUMP&#8217;S LET THEM EAT CAKE MOMENT</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com">The Moderate Voice</a>.</p>
  912. ]]></description>
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  914. <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com/trumps-let-them-eat-cake-moment/">TRUMP&#8217;S LET THEM EAT CAKE MOMENT</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://themoderatevoice.com">The Moderate Voice</a>.</p>
  915. ]]></content:encoded>
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