A commentary in the second national television program of Germany (ZDF) (https://www.zdfheute.de/politik/ausland/papst-leo-trump-streit-100.html?utm_source=firefox-newtab-de-de) notes: “People like to mock the Pope. What could a white man in that tiny state in the heart of Italy possibly accomplish? His army, the Swiss Guard—which likes to call itself the world’s smallest army and stands guard in colorful uniforms at the Vatican’s entrances—numbers just 130 men. Yet the Pope’s power lies not in divisions, but in his moral authority and an influence over Catholics worldwide that, while it cannot be measured, must not be underestimated.
The commentary recalls John Paul II’s role in the upheavals in Eastern Europe during the 1980s is undisputed. His consistent intervention in the former Eastern Bloc had a profound effect, creating the first mass movement in the Eastern Bloc not controlled by the Communist Party. It is an example of how a pope can wield power.
Religion also plays a major role in the U.S. today, the commentary says, according to the Pew Research Center, 55 percent of Catholics voted for Trump in the last election. In February, Pew reported that fewer and fewer white Catholics were convinced that the U.S. president was acting ethically in office. That was even before the current controversy.
The Pope may not have any divisions. But his independence is of great value. He is a head of state in his own right and subject to no one. He is not dependent on elections and need not fear economic sanctions. There is one sore spot, however. If Trump were to pressure credit card companies into suspending operations in Vatican City, it would hit the microstate hard. But this could lead to greater solidarity among religious communities. In addition, even Trump supporters within the Catholic Church criticized the U.S. president following his rebuke of the Pope, including the conservative Catholic Bishop Robert Barron. He has generally been supportive of Trump, but on Monday called on him to apologize to the Pope.
“Moral authority is the strength of the papacy. It also draws its strength from political independence. The Pope is committed to human dignity and to a social order oriented toward the common good and sustainable development, both locally and globally. Key concepts are justice and solidarity.”
