White Smoke - Pope Leo XIV the American Pope podcast

White Smoke - Pope Leo XIV the American Pope

With white smoke clearing and history made, our coverage now follows Robert Francis Prevost—the first American ever elected pope—as he begins his reign as Pope Leo XIV.Our daily bulletins track this unprecedented pontificate from his first blessing to his installation mass, analyzing how this Chicago-born, Peru-naturalized former Vatican insider will lead 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide.What does his choice of the name "Leo" signal? How will his two decades in Latin America shape his global vision? Will he extend Francis's inclusive approach or chart a new course blending American pragmatism with Latin American experience?As he confronts declining Western attendance, explosive growth in the Global South, and calls for reform, WHITE SMOKE delivers essential daily insights into this pivotal moment when ancient tradition meets modern challenge under unexpected but historic leadership.Join us for daily episodes wherever you get your podcasts.Our series will now document the crucial early days of this pontificate as the new Holy Father establishes the tone and direction of his leadership. We'll examine:The significance of his chosen papal name and what it signals about his priorities and visionHis first address from the loggia of Saint Peter's Basilica and the themes he emphasizesThe ceremonial mass where he'll formally begin his ministryThe composition of his initial leadership appointments and Vatican restructuringHis first audiences with world leaders and initial diplomatic engagementsEarly indications of whether he'll continue Pope Francis's path of greater inclusion or chart a different courseWe'll bring you exclusive interviews with Vatican insiderstheological experts, and ordinary Catholics from around the world reacting to this historic transition.  From the elaborate installation ceremonies to the first major decisions of this pontificate, we'll provide context for understanding these ancient traditions alongside the very modern challenges facing Catholicism today: declining attendance in Western nations, growth in the Global South, ongoing abuse scandals, calls for doctrinal reform, and the Church's role in global crises.Join us as we witness the beginning of this new chapter in the world's oldest continuously functioning institution and explore what it means for Catholics and non-Catholics alike in our rapidly changing world.

With white smoke clearing and history made, our coverage now follows Robert Francis Prevost—the first American ever elected pope—as he begins his reign as Pope Leo XIV.Our daily bulletins track this unprecedented pontificate from his first blessing to his installation mass, analyzing how this Chicago-born, Peru-naturalized former Vatican insider will lead 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide.What does his choice of the name "Leo" signal? How will his two decades in Latin America shape his global vision? Will he extend Francis's inclusive approach or chart a new course blending American pragmatism with Latin American experience?As he confronts declining Western attendance, explosive growth in the Global South, and calls for reform, WHITE SMOKE delivers essential daily insights into this pivotal moment when ancient tradition meets modern challenge under unexpected but historic leadership.Join us for daily episodes wherever you get your podcasts.Our series will now document the crucial early days of this pontificate as the new Holy Father establishes the tone and direction of his leadership. We'll examine:The significance of his chosen papal name and what it signals about his priorities and visionHis first address from the loggia of Saint Peter's Basilica and the themes he emphasizesThe ceremonial mass where he'll formally begin his ministryThe composition of his initial leadership appointments and Vatican restructuringHis first audiences with world leaders and initial diplomatic engagementsEarly indications of whether he'll continue Pope Francis's path of greater inclusion or chart a different courseWe'll bring you exclusive interviews with Vatican insiderstheological experts, and ordinary Catholics from around the world reacting to this historic transition.  From the elaborate installation ceremonies to the first major decisions of this pontificate, we'll provide context for understanding these ancient traditions alongside the very modern challenges facing Catholicism today: declining attendance in Western nations, growth in the Global South, ongoing abuse scandals, calls for doctrinal reform, and the Church's role in global crises.Join us as we witness the beginning of this new chapter in the world's oldest continuously functioning institution and explore what it means for Catholics and non-Catholics alike in our rapidly changing world.

 

#127

37. The Nazi Pope?

Pope Pius the Twelfth remains silent while the Holocaust unfolds before his eyes. The pont... more

16 Nov 2025

13 MINS

13:48

16 Nov 2025


#126

36. The Last King

Italian armies blast through the walls of Rome, ending over a thousand years of papal temp... more

09 Nov 2025

13 MINS

13:04

09 Nov 2025


#125

35. The Prisoner Pope

Napoleon personally arrests Pope Pius the Seventh and drags him into five years of captivi... more

02 Nov 2025

14 MINS

14:25

02 Nov 2025


#124

34. The Counter Attack

The Catholic Church strikes back with the Council of Trent, militant Jesuit shock troops, ... more

26 Oct 2025

14 MINS

14:35

26 Oct 2025


#123

33. The Fire Spreads

Calvin transforms Geneva into a theocratic police state while Henry the Eighth breaks Engl... more

19 Oct 2025

15 MINS

15:02

19 Oct 2025


#122

32. Monks Revolt

Martin Luther's hammer blows against a church door in Wittenberg echo across Europe, shatt... more

12 Oct 2025

14 MINS

14:42

12 Oct 2025


#121

31. The Borgias

Alexander the Sixth transforms the Vatican into a criminal enterprise run by his murderous... more

05 Oct 2025

11 MINS

11:45

05 Oct 2025


#120

30. The Warrior Pope

Julius the Second trades his papal robes for armor and personally leads armies into battle... more

28 Sep 2025

16 MINS

16:05

28 Sep 2025


#119

29. The Iron Pope

In 955, eighteen-year-old Octavian became Pope John XII, the grandson of the notorious Mar... more

21 Sep 2025

14 MINS

14:53

21 Sep 2025


#118

28. The Pornocracy

 The Cadaver Synod of 897, where Pope Stephen VI put his predecessor's rotting corpse on t... more

14 Sep 2025

14 MINS

14:32

14 Sep 2025


#117

God’s Influencer Becomes a Saint, LGBTQ Pilgrims Enter Vatican, and Chicago Chefs Cook for the Pope

Carlo Acutis, the 15-year-old computer prodigy known as “God’s influencer,” has been canon... more

13 Sep 2025

06 MINS

06:57

13 Sep 2025


#116

27. The Forged Donation

In 778, Pope Adrian I made a remarkable historical claim in a letter to Charlemagne, refer... more

07 Sep 2025

16 MINS

16:14

07 Sep 2025


#115

26. The Price Of Power

When Charlemagne died in 814, Pope Leo III's great triumph in creating the papal-imperial ... more

31 Aug 2025

19 MINS

19:07

31 Aug 2025


#114

25. The Crown

The events of Christmas Day 800 transformed Pope Leo III's desperate alliance with Charlem... more

24 Aug 2025

13 MINS

13:17

24 Aug 2025


#113

24. The Attack

On a crisp April morning in 799, Pope Leo III walked through the streets of Rome leading a... more

17 Aug 2025

10 MINS

10:37

17 Aug 2025


#112

Madonna asks Pope Leo to visit Gaza

Madonna has penned an emotional appeal to Pope Leo, urging the religious leader to make a ... more

14 Aug 2025

06 MINS

06:47

14 Aug 2025


#111

23. Monks and Missionaries - The Papacy's Expansion North

From Rome's ancient center, a new papal strategy emerges through monastic missionaries dis... more

10 Aug 2025

17 MINS

17:36

10 Aug 2025


#110

World's Most Popular Leader, Pope Leo, gets a pizza handed to him

Pope Leo XIV just topped global popularity polls while receiving epic pizza deliveries at ... more

07 Aug 2025

07 MINS

07:58

07 Aug 2025


#109

22. The Barbarian Popes - Leading a Church in the Post-Roman World

When the last Western Roman Emperor was deposed in 476 CE, the papacy faced an existential... more

03 Aug 2025

16 MINS

16:23

03 Aug 2025


#108

The Pope's Barber

Mario Reyes, a thirty seven year old barber from Ica, Peru, has been working near the Vati... more

31 Jul 2025

09 MINS

09:51

31 Jul 2025


#107

21. Theology and Power - The Papacy After Constantine

As Christianity became the empire's favored religion, theological debates took on politica... more

27 Jul 2025

20 MINS

20:47

27 Jul 2025


#106

The Pope Plays Piano—and Has Celebrity Cousins

Turns out Pope Leo is a classically trained pianist with a taste for Bartók. We learn abou... more

24 Jul 2025

08 MINS

08:23

24 Jul 2025


#105

20. The Imperial Transition - From Persecution to Power

When Constantine saw his vision at the Milvian Bridge in 312 CE, the papacy stood at histo... more

20 Jul 2025

16 MINS

16:40

20 Jul 2025


#104

Pope Leo’s NEW White Sox Surprise and His Green Chicago Vestments

A remarkable gift from Cardinal Cupich to Paul Konerko highlights the surprising bond betw... more

17 Jul 2025

07 MINS

07:57

17 Jul 2025


#103

19. The Underground Bishops - Leading During Persecution

For two centuries, popes led a forbidden faith from the shadows of the Roman Empire. This ... more

13 Jul 2025

26 MINS

26:48

13 Jul 2025


#102

Pope Leo Blesses a Pokémon Card and Launches a Green Revolution Description:

Pope Leo delights the internet by blessing a reverse holo Popplio Pokémon card—yes, really... more

10 Jul 2025

17 MINS

17:03

10 Jul 2025


#101

18. The Shadowy Succession - Peter's Immediate Heirs

In the twilight of first-century Rome, the early papacy emerges as a historical mystery. T... more

06 Jul 2025

18 MINS

18:40

06 Jul 2025