Christine Flowers: Pope putting American Catholics in awkward position

I remember exactly where I was when Pope Leo was announced as Pope Francis’s successor: Sitting in my boss’s office, where he has a large screen television.

I’d heard on the radio that there was white smoke billowing from the Vatican and screamed up the steps: “We got a live one!”

Admittedly, this was not the tone of respect with which one normally approaches the elevation of a new pope, but it was a genuine expression of joy.

I ran upstairs with the rest of the office, and we waited. And waited. And waited. And after what seemed about 45 minutes, which it actually was, Cardinal Robert Prevost stepped onto the balcony, newly enshrined as Pope Leo XIV, and waved to the crowds.

I am a bit of a pope groupie. Anything and everything about the Vatican fascinates me.

When I studied in Rome back in 1984, I would take the 64 Bus to St. Peter’s Basilica every Wednesday, because that was when Pope John Paul II would be holding his public audiences.

Even though I never had a ticket, I was usually allowed to slip in from the back, because I’d made friends with Sister Lucia, one of the nuns at the Vatican gift shop. She was my religious equivalent of a Prohibition-era window being opened at a speakeasy and saying, “Joe sent me.”

I’ve watched the movie “Conclave” so many times I can quote Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, and Isabella Rossellini’s roles from memory. I have a collection of rosaries from all of my visits to the Basilica, and I have a tiny Pope Benedict doll somewhere in my office. Yes, they made Pope Benedict dolls.

And while no one can top the former Karol Wojtyła in my affections, I was overjoyed when I found out that Pope Leo was not only American but also a graduate of Villanova.

Vanillanova. ‘Nova. Wildcat. My alma mater.

My brothers, who went to Temple, La Salle, St. Joe’s and various other local schools for their undergraduate and graduate degrees used to make fun of me for going to the “suburban” school where half of the student body was from North Jersey and couldn’t even find Philly if they were dropped from a helicopter into the fountain at Logan Circle.

But now, look at me!

Having the pope as a fellow alum pretty much trumps everything. It comes in just slightly under winning the NCAA championship —three times — but it’s big.

Or as we Vatican types say, Magnus est.

I was already predisposed to love him.

I also appreciated that he had lived abroad as a missionary for much of his religious life, that he spoke fluent Spanish, that he had founded the still flourishing pro-life group at Villanova, that he was from Chicago — a city with real sports teams that don’t migrate to other cities like my beloved Baltimore Colts — and that, like Francis, he was outspoken on the rights of immigrants.

Kind of perfect.

I’m still rooting for him because I’m Catholic and he’s the pope. Also, I’m a lot closer to death than I used to be, and I don’t want any black marks on my chart when I have that intake interview with St. Peter.

I don’t want him perusing my CV and saying, “Why were you all over social media talking smack about one of our best marketing reps?”

But I can’t just sit back and watch as liberals try to weaponize a good man for their political goals.

Let’s be clear: the pope is supposed to seek peace. We do not expect the head of the Roman Catholic Church to support indiscriminate violence, genocide, and human rights violations.

And yet, when indiscriminate violence, genocide and human rights violations are occurring in countries like Iran, Sudan, Nigeria, and I don’t even have space to list all of the usual suspects here, it behooves him to understand the difference between moral action and immoral inaction.

There’s been a lot of discussion about what constitutes a “just war” in Catholic terms. Most people have decided that it is only legitimate in “self-defense.” But that’s a nice and tidy little approach to a more complicated problem.

As someone who deals with refugees, I know that human rights violations are occurring everywhere, at every level, to everyone.

Iran is just the tip of the spear. And the Iranian regime has been committing acts of genocide and war against its own people for over four decades.

Perhaps the pope should consider that eradicating that regime, even when it implicates collateral damage, is “just.”

I honestly don’t care about Donald Trump’s feelings. He’s an oaf, and he says things in a way that makes me cringe.

I don’t even care if the Pope dislikes him. Frankly, I dislike him.

But the pope should not be forcing American Catholics to choose between supporting our country’s mission to destroy one point in the Axis of Evil and our faith.

You can indeed be a good Catholic and support the invasion of Iran.

And if he makes it to a reunion, I’ll mention that, after kissing the ring.

This article was originally published in the Delco Times.

Christine Flowers can be reached at cflowers1961@gmail.com.