BREAKING: The Pope Has Been Chosen - The Michael Knowles Show

Summary

Podcast Summary: BREAKING: The Pope Has Been Chosen

Podcast Title: The Michael Knowles Show
Host: Michael Knowles
Release Date: May 8, 2025
Episode Title: BREAKING: The Pope Has Been Chosen
Hosted By: The Daily Wire

Introduction to the New Pope

Michael Knowles opens the episode with the pivotal announcement of the election of a new pope. He enthusiastically declares:

“Abemus papam. We have a new pope. This conclave was rather short, wrapped up quickly just today.” [00:00]

The newly elected pope, previously Cardinal Francis Prevost, has adopted the regnal name Leo XIV. Knowles expresses a sense of vindication, having predicted the choice:

“I hate to say I told you so. I actually called the papal name. And this was a name not merely that I was predicting, but that I was hoping for.” [00:00]

Significance of the Regnal Name: Leo XIV

Knowles delves into the implications of the chosen name, Leo XIV, highlighting its historical resonance:

“Leo XIII is one of the great popes… Strong against socialism… Strong in tradition, orthodoxy, Thomistic philosophy and theology.” [02:15]

He emphasizes Leo XIII's legacy, particularly his opposition to socialism and his contributions to Catholic social teaching through encyclicals like Rerum Novarum. Knowles correlates these attributes with the new pope's potential direction.

Concerns and Mixed Signals

Despite the promising signs, Knowles raises concerns about certain aspects of the new pope's background and early actions:

Chicago Roots:

“He's from Chicago, and a priest friend of mine said that nothing good ever comes out of Chicago.” [04:30]
While mentioned in jest, this points to underlying apprehensions about the pope's origins.
Synodal Approach and References to Pope Francis:

“He mentioned Pope Francis a lot… talking about the synodal way… inclusivity and listening and dialogue.” [06:05]
This aligns with Francis's more progressive stance, causing unease among traditionalists.
Previous Writings and Political Implications:

“When he was Cardinal Prevost, wrote a piece going after J.D. Vance… the hierarchy of love, the ordo caritatis, in the language of St. Thomas Aquinas.” [08:20]
Indicates his scholarly depth but also raises questions about his political maneuverings, especially regarding American politics and migration.
Dual Citizenship:

“He's American, but he's also a dual citizen of Peru. Some are wondering if this pope was picked to provide a counter political balance to Trump and the turn against mass migration in the West.” [10:45]

Positive Indicators of Continuity and Humility

Knowles points out encouraging signs that the new pope may uphold traditional values:

Formal Vestments:

“He walked out in the formal vestments… a sign of humility because you're recognizing it's not about the personality of the individual.” [12:30]
Contrasts with Pope Francis's preference against formal attire, suggesting a return to traditional symbolism.
Use of Latin:

“He gave the blessing in Latin, which is a good sign for continuity.” [14:10]
Echoes Pope Benedict’s efforts to maintain liturgical traditions.
Titles and Roles:

“He is the Bishop of Rome. He is the Vicar of Christ. He is subduing his personality and maybe some of his personal preferences to the Magisterium, to Orthodoxy, to the Church.” [16:00]

Areas of Uncertainty and Future Watchpoints

Knowles acknowledges areas where the new pope's stance remains unclear:

LGBT Issues and Environment:

“There is some cause for concern about things that he has said on LGBT issues, on the environment, on tradition… we don't really know.” [18:25]
Traditional Liturgy:

“People are wondering what he thinks about the traditional liturgy… he hasn't said very much.” [20:40]

Knowles cautions against premature judgments, emphasizing the need to observe the pontificate's evolution:

“This is someone that no one saw coming that we don't know a lot about. There are some good signs, there are some bad signs.” [22:15]

Conclusion and Teaser for Future Discussions

Wrapping up his initial reaction, Knowles highlights the young pope's potential long-term impact:

“He's a young man, 69 years old, the Holy Father. He will most likely be pope for a very, very long time, decades. And we will have to see how that pontificate unfolds.” [24:00]

He hints at deeper analyses to come, inviting listeners to tune in for more comprehensive discussions on the implications of the new papacy:

“I have a lot more to say about some of the signs we're getting out of the new pope on LGBT issues, on the environment, on tradition, on the very structure of the church… you got to watch the show tomorrow.” [25:30]

Key Takeaways

Leo XIV's Election: A blend of tradition and potential progressive shifts.
Historical Resonance: Alignment with Leo XIII's conservative legacy.
Concerns: Synodal approach, political implications, and unclear stances on key issues.
Positive Signs: Use of traditional vestments and Latin, signaling continuity.
Future Implications: A young pope with a potentially long and influential pontificate, warranting close observation.

For a deeper dive into the analysis of Pope Leo XIV's pontificate and its ramifications on the Catholic Church and global politics, be sure to listen to the full episode of The Michael Knowles Show.

Transcript

Michael Knowles (0:00)

Abemus papam. We have a new pope. This conclave was rather short, wrapped up quickly just today. And we have a new pope who was previously known as Cardinal Francis Prevost and now has taken the regnal name Leo xiv. You know, I sometimes say, I hate to say I told you so. I actually called the papal name. And this was a name not merely that I was predicting, but that I was hoping for. I've said this for a long time, but then right before, as we were sort of waiting for the conclave to fully wrap up and for the new Pope to walk out, I said. I asked on Twitter, I said, what regnal name are you hoping for? I'm hoping for Leo xiv. And then they came out, announced the Pope and the name in Latin, and it was Leo xiv. This is a good sign. The reason Leo XIV is a good sign is because Leo XIII is one of the great popes. I have actually a beautiful rosary that was given by a friend to me from Leo XIII pontificate. He was a wonderful. He's the first pope that ever appeared on film, by the way. Cause he was very, very old right when moving pictures were coming out. And so you can actually see a little film of Pope Leo blessing people. He is beloved by conservatives. John Paul II loved Leo xiii. Leo XIII was very strong against socialism. Leo XIII was strong in tradition, orthodoxy, Thomistic phil. Philosophy and theology. He also was a wonderful man to articulate Catholic social teaching. So when John Paul II was writing Centesi Muzanos, he was writing about an encyclical by Leo xiii, which is called Rerum Novarum, and about these kind of new ideas and these new systems and politics. And in Centesi Musanus, John Paul II was saying, communism's terrible. Free markets are an efficient way to allocate resources. This is. This is the conservatives pope. Right? We really love this. Okay, so that's all a good sign. But I mentioned Catholic social teaching, because there are a lot of other signs about the new Pope that raise some eyebrows. He's from Chicago, and a priest friend of mine said that nothing good ever comes out of Chicago. He's joking a little bit, but he's from Chicago. Some liberal prelates and priests and lay people seem to be really excited about this. He mentioned Pope Francis a lot in his first speech to everyone, to, you know, to the whole crowd in St. Peter's talked a lot about Francis, talked a lot about the synodal way. Synodal way being a way of inclusivity and listening and dialogue. And many conservatives and traditional People in the Church are a little worried about this, that this could water down doctrine, that this is ambiguous. This opens the gate to innovation. The synodal way is the way that Pope Francis was advocating. So that's all a little bit troubling. Some people are pointing out that the new pope, Pope Leo xiv, when he was Cardinal Prevost, wrote a piece going after J.D. vance, J.D. vance, specifically for articulating the ordo amoris, the hierarchy of love, the ordo caritatis, in the language of St. Thomas Aquinas. So maybe that's not a great sign. Some people are wondering, I guess I should mention we're three minutes in. I haven't mentioned this is the first American pope ever from the United States that is second Latin American pope now that we've had two in a row. He's American, but he's also a dual citizen of Peru. Some are wondering, was this pope picked in part to provide a counter political balance to Trump and to the turn against mass migration in the West? And so again, we don't know what the cardinals were thinking exactly in there. I'll leave on a little sign of hope, though. The name is a very hopeful sign. The fact that he walked out in the formal vestments is a hopeful sign. The formal vestments, something that Pope Francis didn't really like. But the formal vestments are important. They're actually, I think, a sign of humility because you're recognizing it's not about the personality of the individual. But he is now he's taking on a new name. He is the Bishop of Rome. He is the Vicar of Christ. He is subduing his personality and maybe some of his personal preferences to the Magisterium, to Orthodoxy, to the Church. That's what one hopes for, that kind of a signal. I think we saw that a lot with Pope Benedict also. He gave the blessing in Latin, which is a good sign for continuity. However, there is some cause for eyebrows being raised. There is some cause for concern about things that he has said on LGBT issues, on. There's some cause to wonder what he thinks about the traditional liturgy, really, with this pick who no one was guessing. He hasn't said very much. We don't really know. And people who tell you they know for sure exactly what he thinks and what he'll do are full of it. This is someone that no one saw coming that we don't know a lot about. There are some good signs, there are some bad signs. And he's a young man, 69 years old, the Holy Father. He will most likely be pope for a very, very long time, decades. And we will have to see how that pontificate unfolds. I have a lot more to say about some of the signs we're getting out of the new pope on LGBT issues, on the environment, on tradition, on the very structure of the church. I have a lot more to say about this, but I've gone over time for my instant reaction. So if you want to hear more about what new papacy means this new pontificate means, you got to watch the show tomorrow. See you there on the Michael Knowles Show.