I have spent much of my life involved in some way in religion: practising it, studying it, criticizing its excesses, crimes and harms, but rendering it the respect due to a large, important and influential force in historical and human affairs.

Plus, I find “spiritual” people more interesting to talk to than “pure” secularists. Whatever their spirituality means.

So it is with some amazement that I find we are at a point in modern life where I am grateful for the phenomenon of global religious leader Pope Leo, head of the Roman Catholic Church — the world’s largest — taking on, with moral authority and persuasive power, fellow American Donald Trump and all that he represents in evil.

Pope Leo, who is Robert Prevost, uses words powerfully.

He is a monk of the Augustinian order, who spent 20 years in Peru, speaks Spanish, has a global vision, along with a doctorate in........

© Peterborough Examiner