The Inaugural Letters from Leo Mailbag

Ask me anything — about faith, politics, Pope Leo XIV, or the future of the Church and the country.

Dear friends —

Today is a big day! We’re launching the inaugural Letters from Leo mailbag.

Here’s how it works: any reader may ask me a question in the comments below. Later this week, I’ll select a handful and respond in a dedicated post. Everyone is welcome to ask; responses will be available exclusively to paid subscribers.

Think of this as an Ask Me Anything. You can ask about my faith, my politics, or my biography. You can ask about Pope Leo XIV, President Trump, Vice President Vance, or the 2026 and 2028 elections. Nothing is off-limits.

I have just one request: be charitable with one another. This community is open to people of every faith and political persuasion. Disagreement is inevitable — and welcome. That’s the beauty of the public square. What matters is how we disagree.

To help get the conversation started, I’m sharing a few recent pieces that feel especially relevant to this moment:

• “I Love This Church. I Love This Country.”
  A personal manifesto on refusing the false choice between Catholic faithfulness and democratic patriotism in an age of fear and polarization.

• “My Interview With Crux: Restoring the Catholic Left.”
  A wide-ranging conversation on rebuilding a muscular, evangelical Catholic Left rooted in the Gospel rather than ideological trench warfare.

• “Two Popes Rebuked Him. JD Vance Still Doesn’t Get It.”
  An examination of JD Vance’s repeated clashes with the Catholic Church — and what they reveal about power, faith, and moral responsibility.

• “Every Catholic Must Resign From ICE — Today.”
  A moral argument against Catholic participation in immigration enforcement practices that violate human dignity and Church teaching.

• “War Is Back in Vogue: Pope Leo’s Stark Warning to the World.”
  An analysis of Pope Leo XIV’s condemnation of militarism and his rebuke of a global order increasingly addicted to force.

• “Trump’s Vatican Ambassador Misrepresents the Pope.”
  A breakdown of how political actors distort papal teaching—and why it matters for both diplomacy and conscience.

Last year, something unexpected happened. The Advent Reflection Series became one of the most widely read and shared parts of Letters from Leo.

Many of you wrote to say those reflections helped steady your hearts during a difficult year—one marked by division, anxiety, and genuine moral uncertainty.

Because of that response, I’ve decided to make these reflections a permanent part of this work in 2026.

Beginning now, I’ll publish a weekly Sunday reflection rooted in the Mass readings of the day — written to help us think clearly about what it means to follow Jesus amid today’s political realities. Not by retreating from public life. Not by baptizing any party or ideology. But by allowing the Gospel to form our conscience, our courage, and our compassion.

These reflections will be available to all paid subscribers as a small but sincere way of saying thank you for making Letters from Leo possible.

Here is this week’s reflection.

Letters from Leo is open to anyone who wants to be informed and inspired by our pope — and to turn that inspiration into action that leaves America and the world more just, less cold, and more alive with hope.

If you’d like to invest in our mission during this new year, here are three ways you can help:

• Subscribe as a paid member to receive exclusive posts about the life and formation of Pope Leo and help sustain this newsletter.

• Donate with a one-time gift to fuel this project’s mission.

• Share this post (and Letters from Leo) with a friend who might enjoy it.

Whether you give $0, $1, or $1,000, your presence here matters — no matter your faith or your politics.

Thank you for reading. I’ll see you on the road.