War Room Battleground EP 921: “Meet The New Boss, Same As The Old Boss: ‘Pope Leo’ Continues Francis’s Radical Pro-INVASION Agenda” – January 7, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode of Bannon’s War Room, helmed by guest host Ben Harnwell, delves deep into the leadership and priorities of the newly elected Pope Leo, exploring how his agenda and style compare to (and in many ways mimic) those of Pope Francis. Key guests Frank Walker (Canon212.com) and Jenny Holland join the panel to analyze internal Catholic Church developments, reports of anti-Christian violence in Scotland, and the intersection of ecclesiastical trends with broader societal issues such as migration, secularism, and public health. The conversation is punctuated by strong opinions, skepticism about “synodality,” and an unvarnished critique of both church hierarchy and Western culture’s spiritual condition.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The “Extraordinary Consistory” and Pope Leo’s Approach

[03:16-15:14]

Consistory Basics:

• Frank Walker explains to non-Catholics what a consistory is: a rare, special meeting of the College of Cardinals (the Pope’s senior advisors), usually to address urgent matters. This current “extraordinary consistory” was called by new Pope Leo.

Canon 212 and Traditionalist Expectations:

• There was hope among Catholic traditionalists that Pope Leo would be a return to tradition—a “second Ratzinger”—but the reality is proving otherwise. The expectation was for more dialogue and transparency.

Key Quote:

“The College of Cardinals… is a meeting for them to get together. They’re supposed to be advisors of the pope… And what they are having today is an extraordinary consistory, which is something they convened for some special, important and grave reason.”
— Frank Walker [03:16]

Difference (or Similarity) to Francis:

• Despite superficial differences in style, Pope Leo is running the Church much as Francis did: meeting structure as “cosmetic listening,” no real input from cardinals, and continued centralization of power.

Criticism of “Listening” and Synodality:

• Walker and Harnwell argue the notion of “listening” in the Church is largely a charade:

  “Whenever I hear that, I always think about how it’s not really about listening...”
  — Frank Walker [04:37]

• Synodal working groups are seen as “corporate,” segmenting discussion and limiting genuine debate.

2. Leadership Style: Superficial Change, Substantive Continuity

[06:03-15:14]

• Francis is described as an “absolute monarch” who governed by telling cardinals what to do and feared their resistance.
• Leo is superficially more open—allowing cardinals to at least gather and talk—but the process is still tightly controlled:

  “Leo’s leadership style is appearing to be different in terms of the superficial cosmetic… but it’s all very much still Leo is in charge.”
  — Ben Harnwell [12:35]

• The panel insists the consistory is a “cosmetic exercise,” echoing Francis’ methods and goals with little transparency.

On Transparency:

“Do you have any observations on that point before we go to Jenny?”
— Ben Harnwell [13:35]

“He’s structuring them into what he wants. He’s telling them what he wants. He’s not treating them like Catholics… Leo’s difference from Francis is only superficial, but his goals are exactly the same and his methods are exactly the same.”
— Frank Walker [13:50-14:22]

3. Rising Anti-Christian Attacks in Scotland

[17:38-26:02]

• Jenny Holland reports on a Christmas Eve desecration at St. Patrick’s Church, Edinburgh.
• A man and woman wrecked the church, including the destruction of the baby Jesus statue and desecration of relics; blood was spilled, but authorities quickly labeled it a “mental health incident,” not a hate crime.

Witness Account:

“Father Hatton comes down and says that the guy was very aggressive and rude and really angry at priests and the church… That seems… pretty intentional to me.”
— Ben Harnwell [19:14]

• Both Holland and Harnwell suggest the authorities’ avoidance of religious or sectarian labeling is suspicious, arguing that the attacks were clearly targeted at Christian symbols and may even have spiritual/demonic undertones.
• Walker links such attacks to broader satanic tendencies in woke and secular culture, referencing associated incidents across the West.

Memorable Moment:

“You are attacking the Catholic church, you’re attacking the things of Christ. That’s part of satanic ritual and that’s what it sounds like to me. And in Woke you do find Satanism.”
— Frank Walker [26:02]

• Holland contextualizes the attack within Scotland’s broader social and moral decline, attributing it to the rise of extreme “woke” policies and a decline in religious respect.

4. Church Hierarchy, Migration, and the “Smell of the Sheep”

[31:40-43:52]

• Analysis of recent episcopal appointments in New York and the UK:

  • Both new archbishops are seen as prioritizing pro-migration, social justice themes—continuing both Francis’ and Leo’s approach.
  • The new Archbishop of Westminster, Richard Moth, likened the Holy Family to today’s migrants, a tactic the panel critiques harshly.
  • “Smell of the sheep” language (Francis’ encouragement for clergy to be close to the laity) is described as “…the people as this idol that is God himself, in fact.”
    — Frank Walker [38:18]

• The hosts and guests draw sharp contrasts between the rhetoric of empathy, “liberation theology,” and social justice, and what they perceive to be the neglect of traditional doctrine or genuine pastoral care.

Notable Sound Bite:

“You can’t be about Christmas and against migrants because Jesus and the Holy Family were migrants. And you know this tactic that they always use to make whatever their political cause into God. I find it offensive…”
— Frank Walker [32:55]

• Criticism of the Catholic hierarchy’s “asylum seeker” analogy:

  “They fled a legitimate terror. They worked. Right. And contributed. They didn’t just sponge off benefits. And… after the persecutions, they went back.”
  — Ben Harnwell [41:47]

5. Breaking News & Social Commentary

[47:50-51:33]

• Jenny Holland introduces a study connecting the repeal of US “blue laws” (Sunday trading bans) to increased “deaths of despair”—suicide, alcoholism, and drug overdose—among white, middle-aged Christians.
  • Religious attendance fell as Sunday became commercialized, with attendance drops linked to a 40% rise in such mortality.

Key Quote:

“There was a 40% mortality increase in by 1996, the study says… I would like people to start thinking about this again, the turn back to tradition, where people are realizing that taking a day… for family and for faith provides exponential benefits… as in your health and your longevity.”
— Jenny Holland [47:50]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Frank Walker on Synodality:
  “They had some pre-reading… Francis’s opening manifesto, which is sort of his liberation theology church. …These things are already produced. They’re just supposed to study them.” [07:48]

• Ben Harnwell on Church Hierarchy:
  “The Pope is really answerable only to Christ on Judgment Day.” [06:03]

• On Wokeism as Spiritual Decay (Jenny Holland):
  “The worst excesses of WOKE appeared to me the same as demonic forces are described in the olden times. That is what drew me to Catholicism.” [24:10]

• On Appointments (Walker):
  “The migrants thing is the number one priority of this new guy.” [41:18]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Consistory and Leadership Comparison: 03:16–15:14
• Scottish Church Desecration: 17:38–26:02
• Church and Migration (Westminster/New York): 31:40–43:52
• Death of Despair and Blue Laws: 47:50–51:33

Tone & Style

The discussion is spirited, combative, and laced with skepticism toward both recent developments in the Church and the broader Western socio-political trajectory. The hosts and guests blend inside-baseball Catholic detail with populist commentary, favoring blunt analysis, vivid imagery, and occasional humor.

Closing Resources & Socials

• Frank Walker: canon212.com
• Jenny Holland: “Saving Culture from Itself” (YouTube), jennyeholland.substack.com

This episode maps out the War Room’s view that Pope Leo is sustaining the revolutionary trajectory of Francis under the guise of a firmer hand; church appointments and consistory proceedings are interpreted as staging grounds for continued progressive social activism, particularly around migration and “synodal” reforms. The episode also unloads on the mainstream media, secular politics, and what they see as spiritual and moral decay in the Anglosphere—arguing for a return to genuine religious tradition as the cure for both churchly and societal dysfunction.