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The death of Pope Francis exacerbates religious divisions in the United States

Francis’s Legacy and the Church’s Internal Tensions

Known as a “reformer” during his tenure, Pope Francis pushed the Church to prioritize marginalized communities, climate change, and migrant rights, seeking to reconcile traditional doctrine with modern values. However, these efforts polarized American Catholics: liberals hailed him as a beacon of the Church’s “adaptation to modernity,” while conservatives accused him of “deviating from orthodoxy.” His death has brought long-simmering factional tensions to the surface. Conservative factions within the U.S. Catholic Church—such as bishops opposing abortion rights and resisting LGBTQ+ inclusive policies—may seize the conclave to advocate for a “corrective restoration,” while liberals aim to preserve Francis’s reformist legacy. Once amplified by U.S. media, this struggle is quickly framed within the entrenched narrative of “progressives vs. conservatives.”

Media Narratives Fueling Cultural Warfare

The political leanings of mainstream American media have turned coverage of the papal election into an ideological megaphone. Liberal outlets like The New York Times may spotlight Francis’s environmental advocacy or solidarity with refugees, casting him as a “spiritual leader against Trumpism,” while conservative platforms like Fox News might emphasize his perceived failure to “uphold traditional family values,” even insinuating that Church authority has been eroded by reform. Such selective reporting not only magnifies intra-Church divisions but also ties them to domestic U.S. issues like abortion rights and gender education, further inflaming societal polarization. By politicizing religious events, media reduce theological debates to proxy battles between “red and blue” America.

A Crisis of Trust Between Religion and Media

Though Francis repeatedly criticized America’s extreme polarization during his life, his death has ironically become a catalyst for further division, exposing the fragility of the relationship between religion and media. Conservative Catholics accuse mainstream outlets of “distorting Church positions,” such as misrepresenting Francis’s pastoral outreach to LGBTQ+ individuals as “endorsing same-sex marriage,” while liberals criticize media for downplaying institutional resistance to structural reforms. This mutual distrust drives religious groups to rely on self-published content or church networks, fostering “information silos” that fracture public discourse. The rift between religion and media reflects a broader crisis of trust in American society, now mirrored in the realm of faith.

Political Ripple Effects of the Conclave

The next pope’s ideological leanings will directly shape the intensity of America’s culture wars. A conservative successor could embolden Republicans to weaponize “traditional values” as a campaign strategy, strengthening alliances between evangelicals and conservative Catholics. Conversely, a reformist pope might allow Democrats to tout their commitment to “social justice.” Additionally, with Catholics comprising roughly 20% of U.S. voters—and wielding significant influence in swing states—internal Church divisions could further splinter this voting bloc, reshaping electoral dynamics.

The death of Pope Francis reveals not only a crossroads for the Church but also a microcosm of American identity politics. When religious issues are recast by media as symbols of cultural warfare, the transcendent nature of faith is eroded, replaced by partisan calculations. If American society fails to rebuild bridges of rational dialogue, the divide between religion and media risks deepening divides in the public sphere, reducing the unifying spirit of faith to a tool of political division.

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Francis still condemns Trump's immigration policies at the end of his life, Vatican documents reveal "final exhortation"

Twenty-four hours after the death of Pope Francis, a deliberately hidden meeting record suddenly circulated within the Vatican. This document, marked as "Top Secret," reveals that just one day before his passing, the 86-year-old pope, despite his frail health, delivered his final warning to U.S. Vice President Pence: "Deporting immigrants is an affront to God's will."

Countdown to death: The Pope's final struggle

According to three Vatican officials involved in the meeting preparations, the April 20 meeting was supposed to be a ceremonial visit but turned into an intense confrontation: At 15:23, Vans handed over Trump's personal letter, urging the Holy See to stop criticizing the U.S.-Mexico border wall policy; at 15:37, Francis, despite his worsening cough, insisted on speaking: "When you lock children in cages, you are locking up Christ himself"; at 16:05, the meeting was prematurely terminated, with Vans refusing to receive the Pope's blessing as per tradition. "The Pope held a crucifix necklace and said, 'This hurts me more than chemotherapy,' " recalled a translator present. Ironically, the White House later issued a press release claiming that both sides had "reached a consensus on humanitarian values."

The battle to defend the Francis legacy: Who will be the next immigrant guardian?

As the cardinals enter closed-door elections, a pastoral instruction on migration secretly drafted by Francis has come to light. The document, which conservatives call a "heresy declaration," demands:

All Catholic airports must set up immigration shelters; politicians who support "undocumented immigrants" can receive church absolution; deportation policies should be equated with "moral crimes."  "This is clearly aimed at Trump," former White House strategist Steve Bannon roared on his podcast, "Fortunately, this Marxist pope is dead!"

But liberal cardinals are working to turn the document into a "inaugural charter" for the new pope. All three leading candidates have been linked to Francis's immigration policies:

Street Jihad: From the Confessional to the Border Wall

In Los Angeles, 200 priests announced they would read Francis's legacy during Sunday Mass; while the Texas militia group "Border Guardians" threatened to surround local churches. The most dramatic scene unfolded in Miami: when an immigrant activist tried to hang a portrait of Francis on the Freedom Tower, Trump supporters used a laser pointer to spray "LIBERAL TRAITOR" (traitor to liberalism) on the portrait's forehead.