SOUTH BEND, Ind. (WNDU) – President Trump criticized Pope Leo XIV on his foreign policy stance, prompting responses from people in Michiana including a former ambassador to the Holy See (Vatican).
Both Pope Leo and President Trump are standing firm on their stances. The president said the pope is “weak on crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy” following Pope Leo’s recent call for peace.
Joe Donnelly, former U.S. senator from Indiana and ambassador to the Holy See, is backing Pope Leo. As a diplomat who once represented the U.S. to the Catholic Church, he said the pope is not about politics but about peace.
“This is not Leo versus Trump. This is Leo simply stating what we believe and that we will be there for those who have always looked to the church for hope and for inspiration. And why Donald Trump would want to get in the middle of that is beyond me,” Donnelly said.
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Local residents react
Tyli, a South Bend resident, said she sees a contrast between the two leaders.
“The pope is on peace, Trump is on destruction. I don’t want to say it like that, but I mean, that’s how a lot of people are seeing it from this area. So at the end of the day, can we get unity?” she said.
Pete, a former South Bend resident, questioned the president’s approach.
“The Pope has a lot of followers and to upset someone like that or to make that person your adversary doesn’t make sense to me,” he said.
Martha, a former South Bend resident, said the interaction was unusual.
“I’ve only ever seen a president come up to the Pope and it’s a very, I don’t know, it’s very solemn and reverent. And I shouldn’t have been surprised that he reacted that way, but he did,” she said.
Jorge Rivas, a South Bend resident, criticized the president’s style.
“Trump really does like to bash people, you know? Instead of really sitting down and talking down, he’s just, like, he lets his emotions… He’s a servant to his emotions, really,” he said.
Bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend shares support for pope
Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend released a statement Tuesday night in support of Pope Leo.
Like Archbishop Coakley, I too was disheartened by President Trump’s disparaging words about our Holy Father this past Sunday. Pope Leo XIV is a messenger of the Gospel and, as he himself said, “not a politician.” Of course, our Holy Father is called to be a herald of peace. He is the Vicar of Christ, the Prince of Peace. He has the responsibility as pastor of the universal Church and successor of Saint Peter to proclaim the Gospel, to defend human life and dignity, and to advocate for peace among peoples and nations. The Holy Father points us to our Lord’s teaching in the Sermon on the Mount, “Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9). And he reminds us of our moral obligation to seek, promote, and pursue peace and to avoid war. This is indeed a matter of morality about which the Church’s voice needs to be heard.
Last week, the Holy Father noted that “rejecting the logic of war may lead to misunderstanding and scorn.” He also explained that the Church “proclaims the Gospel of peace and instills obedience to God rather than any human authority, especially when the inherent dignity of other human beings is threatened by continuous violations of international law.” I am grateful that Pope Leo XIV continues to courageously proclaim the Gospel of peace, even when criticized or ridiculed. Let us pray for our Holy Father, our government leaders, and other leaders of nations. Let us continue to pray for peace in the Middle East and other troubled areas of the world.
Notre Dame backs pope
The University of Notre Dame released a statement backing the pope. Donnelly, who graduated from and taught at Notre Dame, said he believes the statement is consistent with who they are as a university.
Donnelly said the situation should not be framed as Pope Leo versus President Trump. He said the pope is simply stating what he believes in and President Trump should not have gotten involved.
As of Tuesday, President Trump said he is not apologizing to Pope Leo, saying he was just responding to the pope’s public message.
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