Habemus Papam—we have a Pope! An American Pope at that—and one who is, much to Donald Trump’s dismay, not Donald Trump.
I was struck last week by the fervent interest in, the pageantry of, and yes, the organization behind the papal election. I was further struck by the contrast between our own elections and the papal process. In elevating Pope Leo—like Francis before him—the Catholic Church did not choose the man who shouted the loudest or schemed behind the scenes. They did not select the cardinal with the most name recognition, nor the wealthiest candidate. They simply chose the best man for the job: a humble servant, a shepherd, to guide a flock of 1.3 billion people.
What a contrast to our own elections, where we too often prioritize bombast over truth, empty promises over actual results, and emotional appeal over moral clarity. This is not a sermon from an ivory tower questioning the electorate’s decisions—Trump’s record speaks loudly enough on its own. Instead, this is a reflection on what we want—and deserve—from our leaders.
The truth is, I believe we deserve more: more honesty, more tangible results, and more authentic service in public service. But when we vote for, or even interact with, our leaders, are we demanding those things? Or are we too distracted by the noise and spectacle, too caught up in the moment to express, with our votes, what we truly want?
Now, comparing a papal election to a presidential one is, admittedly, an apples-to-oranges comparison. Cardinals don’t operate like state electors, and the results are announced with white smoke rather than Steve Kornacki. But there are still valuable lessons to learn from both the election and the pontificate. One is that we do deserve better from our leaders. At the bare minimum, we deserve the truth. We deserve real results. And we deserve leaders who understand that they are in service to *us*.
When Pope Francis made his first trip outside Vatican City after his election, he visited Lampedusa. For those unfamiliar, Lampedusa is a small island off the southern coast of Italy and a flashpoint in Europe’s migrant crisis. The Pope—always empathetic to the plight of migrants—chose this destination to signal that the Church would not abandon the suffering and displaced. In another act of grace and humility, Pope Francis washed and kissed the feet of female inmates in an Italian prison.
Can you imagine an American politician doing the same? Could you picture Donald Trump showing genuine empathy to the less fortunate?
I certainly can’t. And while I acknowledge that the roles of President and Pope are inherently different, I don’t believe the approach must be. Instead of empathy and understanding, Donald Trump has led with cruelty and criminality. That should trouble all of us—and compel us to demand more.
From Lindsey Graham endorsing Trump for Pope, to Nancy Mace live-streaming herself berating a constituent, to Russell Fry’s refusal to hold nonpartisan town hall meetings, our leaders—both locally and nationally—have shown themselves either unable or unwilling to fulfill the most basic duty of their office: to represent their constituents. To shepherd their flock, if you will.
They lack empathy because they simply don’t care. And they don’t care because they aren’t held accountable.
Our politicians would benefit from being more like Francis or Leo—and less like Donald. And we, the people, would benefit as well. But demanding more from our leaders is our responsibility. That is, I believe, the other lesson: we must be the change we seek. We do still have the power to bend the arc of justice and build a kinder future.
If Trump’s first 100 days back in power are any indication, a storm is coming. But within that storm lies opportunity. Elections are on the horizon. This is our moment to demand more from those who seek to lead us.
Let’s remind them: they work for us. Their power is earned—not granted.
And, as always, I’ll leave you with this: the number to the congressional switchboard is (202) 224-3121. You have the power. Use it. Make your voice heard!
