John-Henry Westen examines Pope Leo XIV’s private 40-minute meeting with musician Patti Smith, questioning the Vatican’s decision to welcome a prominent advocate of abortion rights and LGBT causes while reportedly declining similar access to traditionally minded Catholic figures. Highlighting Smith’s criticism of the 2022 overturning of Roe v. Wade and Vatican official Antonio Spadaro’s praise of the encounter, Westen argues that the meeting reflects a broader preference for engaging progressive cultural voices over internal Church critics. He concludes that the audience signals a continued departure from the priorities associated with St. John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI.

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July 31, 2026

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