Rome was an interesting scene this week.

On the one hand, there was a Gallup Survey showing that the most popular person in the news is none other than Pope Leo XIV. Among forteen prominent U.S. and global figures, Pope Leo XIV has the most positive image by far, with many more Americans viewing him favorably than unfavorably. His 57 percent favorable rating and 11percent unfavorable  rating result in a +46 net-favorable score, far ahead of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (+18). The Pope met with a million young people last weekend, more than double the 400,000 to 500,000 [below] at Woodstock.

On the other hand, there was news of the August 5 celebration at the Basilica of Mary Major in Rome (Francis’s favorite), where white rose petals were released in celebration of a fourth-century miracle of the Virgin of Snows while in Naples was what one might call the multiplication of oil. A priest dabbing more than five hundred with Saint Charbel oil was afraid of running out, but not only had enough for the Mass celebrating that wonderworker but found when he went to put the jar of oil away in a safe that it was full again.

These are the two sides of the Roman Catholic Church.

One is the mundane, even worldly, side and is centered on intellectuality, legalism, and the theological. It largely composes the Church’s institutional aspect and public appearances.

The other is the mystical aspect, the less obvious and, by modernists, often nearly shunned part of Roman Catholicism that involves the supernatural, devotional, intuitional, and sometimes miraculous.

While the supernatural side of the Church is on the rise—largely due to apparitions of the Virgin Mary and newfound societal popularity of spiritual warfare (look at all the public exorcists, in a Church where there seemed to be virtually none thirty years ago)—the worldly side remains the face of Catholicism, whether in the parish offices, the local chancery, or at the Vatican.

That side of the Church has to delicate task of interacting with the world while trying not to be a part of it.

And a tightrope this is.

For example, the papacy: Popes are expected to meet with the dignitaries, moguls, superwealthy, and sometimes the notorious of society.

Every Pontiff has been pictured with celebrities, many of whom have a dark side of which the Vatican is not aware. That came to light recently in an article about Jeffrey Epstein’s extravagant Manhattan townhouse, where were seen photographs of the deviant “billionaire” sex merchant and co-conspirator Ghislane Maxwell with the world’s ultra-famous, including the great Saint John Paul II, who like any Pontiff, has the prominent shoved into his face on a daily basis.

Some may recall three recent Popes with Fidel Castro.

And other political leaders?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Obviously they don’t always or even usually share values or views.

Or even Catholic ones.

It’s a tricky business, that side of the Church.

Shameful image below is A.I.

Expect to see countless such fake photographs. (In this case, the wrong Madonna.)

The other side was probably best exemplified in recent decades by Saint Padre Pio, a great mytsic who managed to greet millions through the years but was never or rarely pictured with those of prominence and while always strictly obedient never visited the Vatican.