Pope Leo excommunicates
7/9/202626 min
The recent excommunication of a conservative Catholic group and a sharp stance on AI means that Pope Leo XIV is dealing with the same problems as the rest of us.
This episode was produced by Ariana Aspuru, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Gabriel Dunatov, engineered by David Tatasciore, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.
Pope Leo XIV delivers a blessing in front of Saint Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. Photo by Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images.
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First 90 secondsSean Rameswaram· Host0:00
[singing] It's been a little over a year since the first ever American became pope, and it's been about a year and a half since the second ever Catholic vice president of the United States was sworn into office. Pope Leo and JD Vance aren't officially beefing, but there's definitely tension. The pope spoke out against the Iran war.
David Gibson· Guest0:19
God does not bless any conflict. Anyone who is a disciple of Christ is never on the side of those who once wielded the sword, and today drop bombs.
Sean Rameswaram· Host0:30
And JD Vance clapped back saying- When the pope says God is never on the side of those who wield the sword, there is more than a thousand-year tradition of just war theory, okay? What followed was a not insignificant contingent of Catholics and non-Catholics alike saying Pope Leo should excommunicate JD Vance. It's probably not gonna happen, but the Chicago pope just kicked a bunch of conservatives out of the Catholic Church. This is a thing he does now, on Today Explained from Vox.
Speaker 50:58
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