(LifeSiteNews) — Joining me on this episode of The John Henry Westen Show from Rome is Catholic journalist and activist Patrick Coffin. We discussed the election of Cardinal Prevost as Pope Leo XIV, the symbolism of his name, connections to Pope Leo XIII’s vision and Fatima, his wearing of traditional vestments, concerns over the new pontiff’s record as a cardinal, and more.
This episode was recorded the day after the election of Pope Leo XIV.
After briefly discussing how the College of Cardinals did the unthinkable and elected the first American pope, Coffin dove into his first impressions of the new pontiff. He recalled how encouraged he was when he saw Pope Leo come onto the loggia wearing traditional vestments.
“I was front and center about 80 yards beneath the balcony when [Pope Leo XIV] came out. And I was staring. … The word that came to mind was ‘resplendent.’ He looked very much in line, or at least the symbolic attire of Pope Benedict XVI. He had … the Mozzetta [that was] almost medieval,” Coffin said. “For him to deliberately appear that way for his big reveal, I thought, said something.”
Coffin noted how encouraging it was for the pontiff to take the name “Leo XIV,” which he stressed could signal continuity with the great pontificate of Pope Leo XIII.
READ: Pope Leo XIV’s name offers hope for the renewal of Catholic Social Doctrine
“[Pope Leo XIII was] a pope who reigned the longest in Church history. I think he was 94 years old when he was still cranking out awesome encyclicals. He wrote 11 encyclicals on the Rosary alone. Think of that,” he said. “I don’t want to overplay that card and overinterpret things, but I think that is a sign of his base-level priorities.”
A bit later, I noted that Pope Leo XIII’s alleged vision after celebrating Mass in the Vatican led to the pontiff writing the St. Michael prayer, and that the day Pope Leo XIV was elected was the feast of the first apparition of St. Michael. I underscored how this may be providential since our modern world needs an exorcism.
Coffin described Leo XIII’s chilling alleged vision.
“After saying Mass in St. Peter’s, the Holy Father, Pope Leo XIII, was given a vision of Satan being granted 100 years of mayhem and adventure. And that would have basically described the 20th century,” he said. “No one envisioned the bloodshed, the Christian martyrdom, World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam. … In that 100-year slice … I think [the vision] was vindicated.”
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Coffin also tied in Our Lady’s apparitions at Fatima to Pope Leo XIV’s pontificate.
“In the middle of all that darkness and bloodshed, you had May 13 to October 13, 1917, with the Blessed Virgin Mary. And her message in Fatima also has a 100-year bookend to it,” he said. “So there’s some providential overlap between darkness and despair and the hope of the gospel without compromise.”
I noted that Pope Leo XIV will likely be the reigning pontiff in 2029, which will mark 100 years since Our Lady asked for the consecration of Russia. And I expressed hope that the new pope will properly consecrate Russia and encourage First Saturday devotions.
To hear more from Patrick Coffin, tune in to this episode of The John-Henry Westen Show.
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LifeSiteNews readers are invited to continue praying for our new pope.
