Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – Springfield Catholic Diocese Bishop Thomas John Paprocki says he’s heard all about what he says was rhetoric President Donald Trump used on Truth Social criticizing Pope Leo for his stance on the military conflict involving Iran.
The diocese posted to Facebook on Tuesday a statement Paprocki made while “on a spiritually uplifting pilgrimage in Poland,” after Trump claimed the pope was “weak on crime” and “terrible for foreign policy.”
“I am dismayed by President Trump’s rhetoric, and I stand with Pope Leo,” said Paprocki’s statement. “It is also blasphemous for President Trump to pretend he is Jesus in a now deleted Truth Social AI generated post. I echo Archbishop Coakley, President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, who said: ‘Pope Leo is not his rival; nor is the Pope a politician. He is the Vicar of Christ who speaks from the truth of the Gospel and for the care of souls.’”
Trump reportedly has said he doesn’t owe the pope any sort of apology. Pope Leo, for his part, claims he is not afraid of Trump.
When the former Robert Prevost, native of the Chicago area, was elected pope almost one year ago, Trump posted on Truth Social, “It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!”
Pope Leo is the first leader of the Roman Catholic Church to hail from the United States.
