"So, the Pope doesn’t take sides.
asserted
Pope → take → sides
Prevost has another opinion, but we won’t do that now."
asserted
we → have → that
That funny quip from Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Prevost, referred to the historic game in Rome when the Villanova and Notre Dame basketball teams play each other.
asserted
teams → bear → other
However, a story this week raised a different question of when the Pope, as opposed to Prevost, can "take sides."
asserted
Pope → raise → sides
This month, American-born Pope Leo XIV became the first pope ever to vote in a U.S. election.
asserted
XIV → bear → election
A longtime Chicago native, the Pope mailed an absentee ballot to Will County, and the clerk’s office confirmed to Fox News Digital that "Robert Prevost is on the list of individuals who requested a Vote by Mail ballot."
asserted
who → mail → ballot
There is no question that the pope can vote in the Holy See.
asserted
pope → be → See
Indeed, he is the ultimate and final vote in the Vatican, but can he actually vote in Illinois races — including the governor’s race involving incumbent Democrat J.B. Pritzker?
asserted
he → vote → Pritzker
The answer appears to be yes, but it raises some novel questions.
asserted
it → appear → questions
Now, as a threshold matter, I want to shed some bias.
asserted
I → want → bias
I was raised Catholic in Chicago.
asserted
I → raise → Chicago
Many of us on the North Side hoped for a conversion to restore our faith in papal infallibility.
asserted
Many → hop → infallibility
However, he has remained entrenched in his South Side allegiance.
asserted
he → remain → allegiance
This column rises above that historic rivalry and does not suggest that White Sox fans can be challenged at the polls.
asserted
fans → rise → polls
Besides, I previously explained that the pope is a Cubs fan without knowing it.
asserted
pope → explain → it
Rather, what surprised me was that the head of a foreign state could vote in U.S. elections.
uncertain
head → surprise → elections
The Holy See Press Office declared, "Pope Leo XIV has exercised his right to vote as a United States citizen whenever he was eligible to do so.
asserted
he → declare → citizen
The Holy See Press Office confirms that, in keeping with this long-standing practice of civic participation, he has submitted his mail-in ballot in Chicago."
asserted
he → confirm → Chicago
The Holy See maintains that Pope Leo retains his status as a U.S. citizen while serving as the head of a foreign nation.
asserted
Leo → maintain → nation
The State Department has maintained that dual citizens do not have to choose between their countries, though it does not expect them to serve as the head of another country.
"
asserted
them → maintain → country
U.S. dual nationals owe allegiance to both the United States and the foreign country (or countries, if they are nationals of more than one).
asserted
they → owe → one
They are required to obey the laws of both countries, and either country has the right to enforce its laws.
asserted
country → require → laws
Claims of other countries upon U.S. dual-nationals may result in conflicting obligations under the laws of each country.
uncertain
Claims → result → country
U.S. dual nationals may also face restrictions in the U.S. consular protections available to U.S. nationals abroad, particularly in the country of their other nationality."
Notably, the State Department requires dual citizens to use a U.S. passport to enter the country.
uncertain
Department → face → country
Does that mean that, when traveling as head of state, Pope Leo has to use a U.S. passport?
asserted
Leo → mean → passport
Unlikely, but intriguing.
It strikes me as odd that a person can lead another country and still vote in U.S. elections.
asserted
person → strike → elections
With all of those worried about Russian interference in elections, imagine if Putin could actually vote in U.S. elections.
uncertain
Putin → worry → elections
Obviously, Pope Leo is greatly loved and represents someone whose values are aligned with this country.
asserted
values → love → country
Under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA), military personnel and citizens abroad are allowed to vote in U.S. elections.
asserted
personnel → allow → elections
It is no longer considered an absentee vote requiring an excuse but simply a mail-in ballot.
asserted
It → consider → excuse
The question is whether this right should be suspended when you assume a position in a foreign nation, let alone the head of such a nation.
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you → suspend → nation
Dual citizenship has long been debated over the difficult questions raised by nations with opposing values and interests.
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citizenship → debate → values
However, being the head of a foreign government with potentially opposing interests and actions to the United States creates a curious status.
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being → create → status
It turns out that when Gov. Pritzker met with the pope last year, he was actually meeting with a constituent and voter.
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he → turn → constituent
I am most surprised that the Vatican does not have a policy against such voting, though this is admittedly unprecedented.
asserted
this → have → voting
I would think that the head of the Catholic faith and the head of a foreign government would have a single national citizenship running to the Holy See.
asserted
head → think → See
All popes are selected from the global faithful by the College of Cardinals and thus have national citizenship with other countries.
asserted
popes → select → countries
In assuming their positions, the cardinals "pledge and swear, as individuals and as a group, to observe faithfully and scrupulously the prescriptions contained in the Apostolic Constitution."
They also reaffirm that they are not subject to countervailing allegiances or pressures from outside the College: "And never to lend support or favour to any interference, opposition or any other form of intervention, whereby secular authorities of whatever order and degree or any group of people or individuals might wish to intervene in the election of the Roman Pontiff.
uncertain
authorities → assume → Pontiff
However, it is fascinating that, once elected, popes do not shed that status upon assuming the head of the Holy See.
asserted
popes → elect → See
It is an uncomfortable question since it also raises whether the head of a foreign government should have dual citizenship.
asserted
head → raise → citizenship
…and 4 more, not listed.
The Aporia
