Marjorie Taylor Greene's Controversial Remarks Following Pope's Passing

The morning after Easter, Pope Francis passed away, marking the end of an era for the Catholic Church. Hours later, Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, known for her allegiance to former President Donald Trump, took to social media platform X to announce what she described as a significant shift in global leadership. Greene declared that 'evil is defeated by the hand of God,' a statement that, while not directly mentioning the Pope, seemed to reference the late pontiff's death at Casa Santa Marta in Vatican City.

This declaration has sparked outrage among civil rights groups representing Catholics in the United States. The president of the Catholic League, William Donohue, wrote to the House Ethics Committee emphasizing that no member of Congress has the right to tarnish the reputation of a global religious leader.

Approximately one in five Americans identify as Catholic, and while this percentage has decreased slightly since the turn of the millennium, the U.S. remains home to one of the largest Catholic populations worldwide. From this perspective, Greene's comments may be seen as a poor strategy in appealing to her constituents.

Greene's discontent with the Catholic Church is rooted in her personal history. Raised as a Catholic, she distanced herself from the faith as a young mother, protesting against the church's repeated scandals involving sexual abuse. Today, she identifies as an evangelical and a proponent of revivalist Christianity.

Her animosity towards the Catholic Church reflects broader conflicts within Christianity regarding views on Trumpism, nationalism, and immigration.

Pope Francis was often viewed as a progressive and liberal force within the Church. American media outlets have described him as an ally of former President Barack Obama. His visit to the U.S. in 2015 drew massive crowds in cities like Washington, New York, and Philadelphia, with many hoping he would rejuvenate a Church marred by revelations of abuse.

However, political tensions have increasingly infiltrated religious spaces over the past decade, and the Pope's candid criticisms of Donald Trump may have contributed to this rift. During the 2016 election campaign, he famously held a mass at the U.S.-Mexico border, laying flowers in the Rio Grande to honor those who lost their lives attempting to cross the river. He questioned whether a person who only seeks to build walls and not bridges could be considered a Christian.

In the years that followed, the Pope found himself at odds with various conservative figures in the U.S., particularly when some bishops attempted to deny President Joe Biden, a fellow Catholic, communion due to his administration's support for abortion rights.

In his final days, Pope Francis was at odds with JD Vance, the newly appointed Vice President, who had converted to Catholicism. Tensions rose after Vance promoted a form of Christian nationalism in a Fox News interview.

Earlier this year, the Pope sent a letter to American bishops criticizing the Trump administration's plans for mass deportations. Though he refrained from naming individuals, his remarks seemed to distance himself from Vance's theological interpretations.

Vice President Vance visited the Vatican on Easter Sunday, just a day before the Pope's death, where he assured the pontiff that he prayed for him daily. Following the news of the Pope's passing, the White House extended its condolences, and the Trump family is expected to attend the Pope's funeral.

Despite this, many conservative Americans perceive Pope Francis as a divisive figure, and there is hope among some on the right that his successor will align more closely with their values. Notably, a majority of Supreme Court justices are conservative Catholics, as are several members of Trump's new administration, suggesting a potential shift in the Church's political alignment.

In the current polarized climate of the United States, even leaders of global religions are not immune to scrutiny. Greene's remarks underscore her position within this ongoing conflict.