An insider steps outside
On Pope John Paul II's anti-Communism, the flattening of global culture, and what having a Pope from Chicago could mean in the longer term
The visit between the first American Pope and the Secretary of State is a vivid example of an art that has been in decline. There have been Popes since the First Century AD, but from 1776 until 2025, Americans always had the ability to lump them in with the “others” of the world. Even when a Pope’s origins had a meaningful effect on his actions -- as when Pope John Paul II manifested meaningful support to anti-Communist forces in Poland -- the “otherness” of being Pope and “otherness” of being foreign-born could merge into one characterization.
■ Now, we are contending diplomatically with one of our own, but one who draws upon moral authority beyond national reach. He cannot be “otherized”, and that creates an unprecedented circumstance, particularly when politicians want to provoke fights with him.
■ For a variety of reasons, including the flattening of global culture via the Internet and the decay of many of our social and civic institutions, Americans have to some extent lost touch with the idea of institutions that are strong enough to serve as independent wellsprings of moral authority. The Church did itself no favors in this regard with its clergy abuse scandals.
■ Things seem different, though, under Pope Leo XIV, as though a rebuilding process started under his predecessor has begun to gain traction. And it challenges Americans in particular to look and not only witness the importance of drawing personal identity from many overlapping and interacting sources, but also to look for people speaking in our own times whose authority comes from someplace other than government.