The unique power of an American pope
4/25/202631 min
From Apple News In Conversation: Nearly a year ago, Robert Prevost became Pope Leo XIV, the first pope in history from the U.S. His papacy so far has been relatively calm — until recent weeks, when a sharp public conflict with President Trump over the Iran war thrust him onto the political stage. Scott Detrow, host of NPR’s All Things Considered and coauthor of the upcoming American Pope: Leo XIV’s Road From the South Side of Chicago to Vatican City, joins guest host Sam Sanders to explore what it means to have an American pope who understands U.S. politics — and why his influence may be felt far beyond the Catholic Church.
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First 90 secondsSam Sanders· Host0:00
[gentle music] Hey there, Sam Sanders here. Before we start today's episode, I have a question for you. We are working on an episode about men in America today. There's a big gap between the men we're told we should be and the men we actually are. We wanna hear about that gap from you. Tell us about a moment when you felt it. Maybe it was something you were taught about being a man that never quite fit. Maybe it's a standard you've been held to by your family, your culture, your own expectations that you've never been able or never wanted to meet. Use your iPhone's Voice Memos app to record yourself. Tell us your name, where you're from, and your story. Please try to keep it to about a minute or less, and then send it to us. We're at inconversation@apple.com. We might include your voice on the show. Thanks. [upbeat music] This is In Conversation from Apple News. I'm Sam Sanders in for Shamita Basu. Today, what an American pope means for the US. [upbeat music] We are approaching the first anniversary of Pope Leo XIV becoming the first American pope in history. It was a moment that many people didn't see coming.
Scott Detrow· Guest1:20
Growing up as a Catholic, you were told there was never gonna be an American pope. The church would never want to give that level of power to an American because the country is already