~a column by Colleen O’Brien
“Iran is doing a very poor job, dishonorable some would say, of allowing oil to go through the Strait of Hormuz.” [BBC Apr 10, 2026] Trump, the poster boy of dishonor, mumbles this to his bedtime companion, Truth Social, who promptly sends it out to the world, which does not want it.
I discount him by the day, but I cannot discount his nerve.
April 11, 2026, Pope Leo XIV leads a vigil for peace in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican in Rome. He mentions that “delusion of omnipotence” is fueling the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran. He asks political leaders to stop.
On April 12, we learn the peace talks didn’t work.
On April 13, Trump responds via his Truth Social account to the Catholic leader by calling him “WEAK on crime,” “terrible on foreign policy,” and “should get his act together as Pope.”
Really, the excessive buttinskiness of the clown of the free world — and now the unfree world — never ceases; in fact, it increases by the (midnight) hour.
Pope Leo presides over evening prayer service in St. Peter’s Basilica telling the world that a threat to annihilate Iranian civilization is “truly unacceptable.”
He is speaking on the day the 21-hour peace talk between Iran and the United States falls apart.
In my mind, I picture Vice President JD Vance, our choice negotiator, in his signifying ineptness of angry domination, dismissing compromise.
The AP continues its reportage, telling us that the Chicago-born Pope does not mention by name the U.S. or its president in his prayer, planned before announcement of peace talks in Pakistan, but the images of the constantly angry and pretend-holy triumvirate of Trump, JD and Hegseth [Warrior of his own Dept of War] come to mind: they have sunk to justifying war in religious terms.
The Pope doesn’t miss the sickening irony. “Even the holy Name of God, the God of Life, is being dragged into discourses of death.”
Three of the least religious pols in history revealing themselves to a certified world religious leader who has no doubt about the difference between honesty and hypocrisy? Really, boys, get your act together.
Anything said in religious terms that speaks in the name of war is the height of hypocrisy. And hypocrites don’t realize how consistently they set themselves up for ridicule.
Leo’s passionate sermon for peace in the world does not mince words: “Enough of the idolatry of self and money! Enough of the display of power! Enough of war!”
Who does this make you think of? The Pope does not have to mention the name.
Since then, no deal between the U.S. and Iran. Leo asks anyway for dialogue between the attacked and the genocider.
This shows his great hope.
However, those of us who’ve listened for a decade to the lost cause of an unholy leader know that Trump does not do dialogue.
Leo calls for all people of goodwill to pray for peace and demand from their leaders an end to war.
Bless his heart.
