WorldNetDaily was not a big fan of Pope Francis. For instance, Bob Unruh declared in a February 2024 “news” article that Francis was “super-woke” and hyped the idea of a schism inside the Catholic Church. Don Feder huffed in his Jan. 6 column that “Pope Francis will be remembered as the anti-Israel pope – or, more broadly, the anti-Western pope,” adding: “I don’t think Pope Francis is an anti-Semite in the classic sense. He is anti-Western and views Israel as an extension of European colonialism. The pope invariably sides with people in developing countries, regardless of whether their cause is just.”
Upon Francis’ death earlier this year, WND columnists imposed their partisan agendas on the process. Andy Schlafly used his April 22 column to demand a right-wing replacement:
Pundits expect a more conservative successor to Pope Francis to be chosen. The Catholic Church is booming throughout Africa, where the cardinals are so conservative that some openly criticized liberal statements by Pope Francis at the risk of being disciplined by him, which he declined to do in light of their tremendous success in evangelizing there.
The Latin Mass, a favorite of many conservative Catholics, was marginalized under Pope Francis but could find a resurgence under his successor. The word “conclave” itself comes from the Latin for “with a key.”
Africa has surpassed North America in its number of cardinals who will participate in this conclave, and it is unlikely that an American will be chosen as the next pope. Conservative Cardinal Raymond Burke, once the archbishop of St. Louis, would be an excellent choice.
In her April 24 column, Laura Hollis groused that Francis wasn’t right-wing enough:
Since the death of Pope Francis on Easter Monday, social media has been filled with expressions of loss and mourning, as well as opinions – both positive and negative – about Francis’ time on the Throne of Peter. The deceased pontiff is being heralded for his warmth and generosity of spirit, particularly as directed at the poor and otherwise marginalized: migrants, victims of wars and members of the LGBT community.
At the same time, Francis’ actions often stunned those who saw them less as outreach and more as alienation of the faithful and confusion of everyone else: his decision to reconstitute the John Paul II Pontifical Institute on Marriage and the Family and the removal of most of its leadership; the suggestion in his encyclical “Amoris Laetitia” that divorced and remarried or cohabiting couples are not in violation of Church teaching; his appointment of a pro-abortion activist to the Pontifical Academy for Life; his severe restrictions on the Latin Mass (a worship practice expanded and promoted by his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI); his demonstrable lack of understanding about capitalism and free commerce, and his fixation on the environment.
[…]Am I saying that the pope is not important? No. He is the successor to Peter, whom Christ appointed to lead His Church. The pope can – and should – manifest Christ’s love, instruct on God’s laws for humanity and lead people to Him. But a weak or venal pope can lead people astray or cause them to fall away. So yes – I will pray for a pope who is a godly leader. But I will also trust in Christ’s promise that His Church will not be destroyed. And that means that we must, each of us, take up our own crosses and follow Him. We must seek the Truth and speak it, whether the pope does or not.
When an American was chosen as the new pope, Unruh whined in a May 9 article that he wasn’t a Trump-bot:
When Robert Prevost, a Chicago archbishop for the Catholic church, this week was picked to be the new pope, Leo XIV, President Donald Trump wished him well.
“Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope. It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope,” Trump said on his Truth Social account.
“What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!” he said.
Then surfaced social media statements from Prevost, while a cardinal, that adopted an anti-Trump, pro-illegal immigration agenda. The statements specifically targeted the current White House administration with condemnation.
[…]His most recent X post came only a few weeks ago, when he retweeted a post slamming Trump’s deportation of illegal alien Kilmar Abrego Garcia to El Salvador.
Garcia also has been a cause celebre for Democrats in America, but their advocacy for what they describe as a family man has been undercut by allegations besides being an illegal alien in America, he was involved in human traffic and repeatedly had been accused of abusing his wife.
The report said Prevost is a registered Republican, but that “should not be confused with support for President Donald Trump.”
WND has repeated unsubstantiated attacks on Abrego Garcia.
Feder returned for a May 20 column that started by complaining that the new pope called for an end to conflicts:
In his first Sunday blessing from the main balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Leo XIV called for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and an end to the war in Ukraine.
This was three days after the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe, which should have taught us something about the illusion of “peace in our time.”
This then turned into praise of Trump and his planned military buildup:
Mr. Trump’s military buildup is his greatest contribution to the cause of world peace. The president’s proposed defense budget for fiscal year 2026 is $1 trillion, an increase of 12% over the current fiscal year. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is a soldier’s soldier. January was the Army’s busiest recruitment month in 15 years.
Normal people don’t want war any more than they want the plague, but disease is fought with modern medicine, not by the surgeon general saying, “Let there be no more disease.”
America should not roam the world spoiling for fights. It’s not our business to foster democracy or stop aggression that doesn’t threaten us.
Feder didn’t explain why the U.S. (not to mention the rest of the world) is not threatened by an emboldened Russia if it defeats Ukraine.