I think Pope Francis is wrong about some things. At times, I respectfully express my disagreement, in discussion or in print. But anyone who is even loosely on the side of tradition should recognize that the Catholic Church is an ally, not an enemy, and it’s much better to have figures like Pope Francis than to not.

Pope Francis regularly rails against the evils of abortion. He promotes the goods of marriage and family. He denounces the evils of eugenics and social engineering, and yells at interviewers that gender ideology is demonic. What other major world figure could get away with this and still get a hearing in the mainstream press? Pope Francis encourages us to return to the wisdom of our philosophical and spiritual Western forbears, for guidance and solace in a troubled time. He will go on doing this, because it’s his job, as the head of the Barque of Peter and the most recognized spiritual leader in the world.

If you feel that all this Catholic talk is out of your depth, it is of course permissible to remain silent on the subject of the pope. Sulkiness, however, is unbecoming. In all the most important ways, Pope Francis should be seen as an ally by anyone who is interested in preserving what is left of Western Civilization.