In recent decades, there has been a lot of public concern in the US about declining church attendance, lower percentages of poll respondents who identify as faithful members of any particular church, and what many see as a resultant drop in overall morality.

A common comment is that organised church-based religion has gotten too political, or that it has lost its way along a path toward the ideals of the Christian or other faiths. Is the church still relevant? Many ask this question.

That might be changing. With the recent passing of Argentine Pope Francis and the surprise ascension of American-Peruvian Pope Leo XIV, the native Chicagoan (and White Sox fan), who was a close ally of Francis, the relevance of the church might be less in question.

A friend who is politically independent may have summarized the current situation best: “Maybe the universe is actually speaking to us all here. Early in this second Trump administration, with all of its glorified cruelty, corruption and smug immorality, an American figure rises up in Vatican City to serve as an emphatic counterpoint to Trump.”

Despite the fact that both President Trump and Vice President J—D Vance made recent, largely protocolary, calls on Pope Francis, there was some discomfort shown by the Pontiff on both occasions.

Many Trump critics in the US are supporting the notion that Pope Leo will finally stand up to the bully in the White House while Congressional members of the Republican Party continue to cringe in fear of his retribution.

As one commentator noted, “Trump may have no rival at this point on earth. But the Pope has a hotline to a much greater authority.”

The first-ever American-born Pope gave a hint this week about what may lie ahead. As Pope Leo XIV walked through a crowd at the Vatican on Monday, a reporter asked the new pontiff if he had “any message for the United States.”

“Many,” Leo replied with a smile.

Then, after a short pause, he added: “God bless you all.”

It seems very likely that the new pope is aware of Trump’s recent antics. The BBC reported that Trump has attracted criticism from many Catholics after posting an Artificial Intelligence-generated image of himself dressed in clerical garb. The post comes days after he joked to the media: “I’d like to be Pope.”

That image, which was reportedly shared on official White House social media accounts, features him wearing a white cassock and pointed mitre, traditionally worn by a bishop. He wears a large cross around his neck, and has his finger held up, with a solemn facial expression.

According to the Palm Beach Post, on May 5 Trump addressed the controversy about the incident, dismissing it amid questions of Catholic offense at the image.

“I had nothing to do with it,” Trump told reporters. “Somebody made up a picture of me dressed like the Pope and they put it out on the internet. That’s not me that did it. I have no idea where it came from, maybe it was AI, but I know nothing about it. I just saw it last evening.”

“They can’t take a joke,” Trump said of the media. “Catholics loved it.”

But while Americans celebrate the installation of Robert Francis Prevost of South Side Chicago as the pontiff, many overseas doubt the wisdom of the selection.

Reporters interviewed several of the faithful in Rome after Leo’s election was announced. “Un Americano?” several muttered in Italian.

“I am surprised and disappointed,” said Adam Mocarski, 31, from Poland.

These critical remarks were not apparently directed at the new pope himself, but appeared to reflect how much Trump has changed views outside America.

“Trump wants to divide,” said Francesca Elicio, 29, a theater producer from Rome. “Trump has a negative effect not just on America, but on other countries. Perhaps the idea (for Leo’s selection) was to have an intermediary who can save not just the church, but the whole world.”

Democrats in the US predictably loved the appointment. Nancy Pelosi, a devout Catholic, said “the new Pope’s values-based vision for the church is quite different from what we’re seeing from some leaders, if you call them that, in our country, but I don’t expect him to be engaged in a political debate with the president of the United States,” she said in an interview.

Joe Biden’s ambassador to the Vatican said “I think Pope Leo will be a wonderful reflection of America, of Chicago and all of our hardworking people. He is a prototype of the American success story, working hard, studying hard and being kind to others.”

Analysts are poring over the new pontiff’s public statements and internet activity for past clues that may now be quite newsworthy. And indeed there are indications that the first American pontiff disapproves of some of the Trump administration’s hardline stances.

One reporter found that a social media account under Leo’s name has reposted messages critical of the president’s positions on issues including immigration, gun control and climate change. In February, this same account shared a link to an article in The National Catholic Reporter titled “JD Vance Is Wrong: Jesus Doesn’t Ask Us to Rank Our Love for Others.”

The Pope’s brother, now a celebrity, said “I know he’s not happy with what’s going on with immigration. I know that for a fact. How far he’ll go with it is only one’s guess, but he won’t just sit back. I don’t think he’ll be the silent one.”

The New York Times had more reaction. “We have this powerful moral voice that is going to be able to potentially confront the other most powerful American voice,” said Charlie Sykes, an anti-Trump conservative who is Catholic. “Donald Trump bestrides the world as the ugly American, and now we have another prominent American who is able to confront him.”

All this praise is eliciting a reaction from some MAGA influencers. “The new Pope is anti-Trump, anti-MAGA, pro-open borders, and a total Marxist like Pope Francis,” wrote Laura Loomer, a far-right activist who has inexplicably seemed to exert significant influence on Trump. “Catholics don’t have anything good to look forward to. Just another Marxist puppet in the Vatican.”

Another right-wing conspiracy theorist is promoting the notion that the new Pope “is a continuation of the globalist takeover of the Catholic Church & will be used to wage war against President Trump.”

Is Leo XIV really the world’s best hope against some of the worst policies, attitudes and actions of Trump & Company? We’ll see.

NBA playoff excitement

This year’s NBA playoffs started off as an exercise in faithfulness to conventional wisdom. Almost every pundit exclaimed that the teams with the top records in the Association’s two conferences (Cleveland and Boston in the East; Oklahoma City in the West) were preordained to meet in an exciting Finals.

And after a somewhat predictable first round of the playoffs, it looked like all the experts might be right. The top seeds in the East all won fairly easily. Our own Miami Heat, touted by some as a potential surprise success in these playoffs, were swept out ignominiously by the Cavaliers.

Cleveland won by margins of 37 and 55 points in the two playoff games played in Miami. It does look like in the post Jimmy Butler era on South Beach, the Heat’s talented and experienced front office and coaching staff have work to do.

Out West, the Thunder and Denver Nuggets won as expected. But the playoff-tested, veteran Warriors knocked out No 2-seeded Houston and the Minnesota Timberwolves advanced over the disappointing Lakers. Golden State got some big games from our own Buddy Hield, but Stef Curry’s health issues hobbled them.

Then things really started to happen. The tough Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks both moved smartly to 3-1 advantages over Cleveland and Boston, both of whom were hurt by injuries to star players. On Tuesday in Cleveland, the Pacers ushered the Cavs right out of the playoffs.

In the West, the best series so far matches recent champion Denver and the favored Thunder. The tough, experienced Nuggets won’t go quietly, but Oklahoma City did win at home Tuesday to lead 3-2. Still, Nikola Jokic is a multiple MVP winner, and a late season coaching and front office purge have helped.