“It certainly seems that [Pope Leo XIV] has placed himself where Francis placed himself: on the peripheries,” says papal expert Christopher Bellitto, though “Leo is going to do it in his own style.”

@DrCBellitto Interesting speculation, but Pope Leo's history & opening presentation don't suggest "boring" to me—they suggest a solid continuation of the "Francis way" of decency, intellectualism, inclusion, positive evolution. Being wildly smart within THE CHURCH framework can be a struggle.

@DrCBellitto Amanpour and @CNN trying to politicize the new Pope right out of the gate, and if he speaks their language, they will try to stake claim to him and use him like everything they try to stake claim to just to further their own political and cultural agenda. @BBCNews @FoxNews @axios

@DrCBellitto @paultenhaken @StarTribune @chicagotribune Separation DC believed past weeks SM IT prior; condoning heart beat of Catholic Church. Government control innuendos. Pope Leo like my Dad. `Not what he said, what he didn't say` BC reading before Mass Sundays.

@DrCBellitto I don’t feel we will have another activist pope. The papacy has the ability to read the room.

@DrCBellitto Fix the finances. This is not political.