Bishop Robert Barron

Well, you know, I would look at him in terms of his name. I keep going back to his name, Leo XIV. It's very telling. You know, he could have chosen Francis II, obviously. He could have chosen John Paul III. He could have chosen John XXIV, in which case we would say, oh, he's clearly on this side or that side. Choosing Leo XIV is very interesting. Going back now to a figure more than a century ago,

who represents, I call it, an intelligent, creative engagement with modernity. So think of the 18th century revolutions and then the 19th century innovations in philosophy. Think of Kant, Hegel, Marx, the revolutions, etc. The church's first response to that was an emphatic no, and indeed the church was very persecuted by revolutionary France, for example.

who represents, I call it, an intelligent, creative engagement with modernity. So think of the 18th century revolutions and then the 19th century innovations in philosophy. Think of Kant, Hegel, Marx, the revolutions, etc. The church's first response to that was an emphatic no, and indeed the church was very persecuted by revolutionary France, for example.

who represents, I call it, an intelligent, creative engagement with modernity. So think of the 18th century revolutions and then the 19th century innovations in philosophy. Think of Kant, Hegel, Marx, the revolutions, etc. The church's first response to that was an emphatic no, and indeed the church was very persecuted by revolutionary France, for example.

But then by the end of the 19th century, you've got a figure like Leo XIII, who represents this intelligent engagement. It's both a yes and a no to modernity. I think that's what this new pope was gesturing toward in choosing that name, that he was in the tradition of Leo XIII. You know, and conservative Catholics, to this day, find a lot in Leo XIII they like.

But then by the end of the 19th century, you've got a figure like Leo XIII, who represents this intelligent engagement. It's both a yes and a no to modernity. I think that's what this new pope was gesturing toward in choosing that name, that he was in the tradition of Leo XIII. You know, and conservative Catholics, to this day, find a lot in Leo XIII they like.

But then by the end of the 19th century, you've got a figure like Leo XIII, who represents this intelligent engagement. It's both a yes and a no to modernity. I think that's what this new pope was gesturing toward in choosing that name, that he was in the tradition of Leo XIII. You know, and conservative Catholics, to this day, find a lot in Leo XIII they like.

Liberal Catholics find a lot they like in him. So it was a very clever choice, actually. Even before you get to particular kind of political issues, just the general attitude toward the modern world, he was telling us a lot about that.

Liberal Catholics find a lot they like in him. So it was a very clever choice, actually. Even before you get to particular kind of political issues, just the general attitude toward the modern world, he was telling us a lot about that.

Liberal Catholics find a lot they like in him. So it was a very clever choice, actually. Even before you get to particular kind of political issues, just the general attitude toward the modern world, he was telling us a lot about that.

You know, I think in the long run, it probably doesn't make that much difference. Maybe we're all kind of hyped up about it now because it's never happened before. This is a very international character, too. You know, he's from Chicago indeed, but, you know, studied overseas, has been a missionary overseas, spent many years here in Rome. He's a very international sort of player.

You know, I think in the long run, it probably doesn't make that much difference. Maybe we're all kind of hyped up about it now because it's never happened before. This is a very international character, too. You know, he's from Chicago indeed, but, you know, studied overseas, has been a missionary overseas, spent many years here in Rome. He's a very international sort of player.

You know, I think in the long run, it probably doesn't make that much difference. Maybe we're all kind of hyped up about it now because it's never happened before. This is a very international character, too. You know, he's from Chicago indeed, but, you know, studied overseas, has been a missionary overseas, spent many years here in Rome. He's a very international sort of player.

The standard line everyone's using here is he's the least American of the American Cardinals, which could be one reason why he attracted the super majority that he did. So I hope it's good for our church in America. I hope it revives a sense of the church and the faith in America. But I suspect, Ben, in the long run, people will look at him. They'll look at, okay, what is he saying?

The standard line everyone's using here is he's the least American of the American Cardinals, which could be one reason why he attracted the super majority that he did. So I hope it's good for our church in America. I hope it revives a sense of the church and the faith in America. But I suspect, Ben, in the long run, people will look at him. They'll look at, okay, what is he saying?

The standard line everyone's using here is he's the least American of the American Cardinals, which could be one reason why he attracted the super majority that he did. So I hope it's good for our church in America. I hope it revives a sense of the church and the faith in America. But I suspect, Ben, in the long run, people will look at him. They'll look at, okay, what is he saying?

What is he doing? Will matter much more than where he was born.

What is he doing? Will matter much more than where he was born.

What is he doing? Will matter much more than where he was born.

Yeah, I think that's true. You know, he's a man that worked in Latin America much of his priesthood. So he has a natural, I think, sympathy for, empathy for people who've immigrated to this country, to our country. So I think you're sensing that natural sympathy he has for them. I would suspect that he fully knows Catholic social teaching defends a nation's right to maintain its borders.