Sir, – As a Catholic, I welcome US president Donald Trump’s characteristically frank comments on the behaviour of Pope Leo XIV. In his comments on the war between the US and Iran, the pope has revealed a disturbing level of arrogance and ignorance.
As leader of the most powerful state in the world, Trump has to take hard decisions where a failure to act may have devastating long-term consequences for millions of people. In this case, a limited conventional war in the present avoids a devastating nuclear war in the future.
President Trump does not have the luxury of being able to, excuse the pun, pontificate from the sidelines safe in the knowledge that he will never have to take such hard decisions.
The pope needs to heed the words of Christ and render to Caesar what belongs to Caesar. He needs to drop the arrogant assumption that he could possibly understand the political situation better than someone who has the world’s leading intelligence agencies at his service.
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Perhaps Pope Leo should bear in mind the words of Pope Francis in 2013 when he sought to avoid a clear answer on another difficult topic: “Who am I to judge?” – Yours, etc,
David Woods,
Department of Classics,
University College Cork.
Sir, – It’s hard to argue with the US president when he suggests that Pope Leo is “weak on crime”. I’m pretty sure I’ve heard the pontiff encourage others to “forgive those who trespass against us”, or words to that effect, on several occasions – I think even in several different languages.
The odd thing is it seems to work. In most years the 800 or so residents of the Vatican record a murder rate of zero. You can’t beat that. Honestly, even the US president should know better than to get into an online spat with someone who can claim infallibility. – Yours, etc,
Brian O’Brien,
Kinsale,
Co Cork.
Sir, – To “pour oil on troubled waters” is an ancient Christian idiom referring to words or actions that calm, de-escalate or resolve a fractious situation. There is no shortage of oil in the Strait of Hormuz.
Unfortunately, it seems more likely the oil will be spilt in anger than applied as a metaphorical emollient. Conflict resolution requires composed, patient, professional negotiators but the US administration’s bellicose amateurs instead impose a naval blockade of the strait and threaten that any boats that transgress will be “blown to hell”.
No wonder Pope Leo is unimpressed. – Yours, etc,
Michael McDermott,
Rathgar,
Dublin 6.
Sir, – President Trump may have removed his post from Truth Social, but it has reached headlines in every world newspaper I have been able to access. I wonder if this pleases him?
It is now surely time to declare him clinically insane like mad king George III, and tuck him away in a safe place where he can no longer harm the world. – Yours, etc,
Anne Strahan,
Bantry,
Co Cork.
