What are we supposed to think about the new Pope?

The satirical website Babylon Bee reacted to the election of a new Pope with the fake headline, "Catholics Frantically Google New Pope to See If He's Catholic."
A friend texted me, "What am I supposed to think about the new Pope?"

This made me think back to when I worked at the University of Dayton, when St. John Paul was Pope. A Marianist brother asked me, "What's the difference between the Pope and every other man?"

Waiting for the punchline, I shrugged my shoulders.

"Most men walk on the ground and kiss women," he laughed, referencing an incident when the Holy Father traveled to America for World Youth Day and kissed the ground upon landing. His joke also mocked the Pope's refusal to ordain women.

This memory serves as a reminder that not everyone viewed John Paul as "Great" or even as a "Saint" the way history will remember him.

So when Pope Francis was quoted by an atheist journalist, Eugenio Scalfari, as saying, "the souls of those who are unrepentant... disappear," instead of going to hell, many wondered how the Pope could allow such a mistep in Media Relations.

No small number of Catholics were left confused by many of Francis' statements, making it difficult to share long-held Catholic views with increasingly hostile fallen-away Catholics, even family members.

So, what are we supposed to think about the new Pope?

As I watched Pope Leo XIV greet the world, a thought flashed through my mind: Mary must really love the Pope, not because of anything he has done as Pope, but just because he IS Pope. He is the Vicar of Christ on earth.

After all, Mary loves all of us, and not because of anything we've done, but because she is our Heavenly Mother!

I hope Leo's papacy will be a good one, even a great one like JP2's. I hope that Leo will re-energize efforts to share the life-saving good news of the gospel. I hope he will lead the world in praying to Mary like he did in his opening speech. I hope he will bring clarity to Church teaching as we face a world increasingly hostile to Christ.

What are we supposed to think about the new Pope?

We should have a heart like Mary's and we should love him.

Viva il Papa!