Christopher Hale
@christopherjhale.bsky.social
Proud Tennessean. ’20 Democratic nominee for Congress & DNC Delegate. Obama-Biden White House & campaign alum. Former nonprofit exec. Bad guitarist & good 💃.
In Marc Andreessen’s outburst, we glimpse the original sin of Silicon Valley laid bare: the prideful belief that tech titans are like gods, answerable to no one.
But in Pope Leo XIV’s response, we see a different path — a call to humility, to wisdom, to placing human dignity above digital conquest.
But in Pope Leo XIV’s response, we see a different path — a call to humility, to wisdom, to placing human dignity above digital conquest.
Tech Billionaire Mocks Pope Leo’s AI Warning — and Reveals Silicon Valley’s Original Sin
A billionaire tech guru openly mocked Leo's call for moral AI — and quickly backtracked after backlash. It’s a telling collision of Silicon Valley hubris with a pope they cannot buy, bully, or ignore.
www.thelettersfromleo.com
November 11, 2025 at 1:25 AM
In Marc Andreessen’s outburst, we glimpse the original sin of Silicon Valley laid bare: the prideful belief that tech titans are like gods, answerable to no one.
But in Pope Leo XIV’s response, we see a different path — a call to humility, to wisdom, to placing human dignity above digital conquest.
But in Pope Leo XIV’s response, we see a different path — a call to humility, to wisdom, to placing human dignity above digital conquest.
A tech billionaire mocked Pope Leo XIV’s call for ethical AI.
The post was deleted — but not before exposing Silicon Valley’s deeper discomfort: a pope they can’t buy or bully.
It also revealed something older: the Valley’s original sin — the desire to be God.
The post was deleted — but not before exposing Silicon Valley’s deeper discomfort: a pope they can’t buy or bully.
It also revealed something older: the Valley’s original sin — the desire to be God.
Tech Billionaire Mocks Pope Leo’s AI Warning — and Reveals Silicon Valley’s Original Sin
A billionaire tech guru openly mocked Leo's call for moral AI — and quickly backtracked after backlash. It’s a telling collision of Silicon Valley hubris with a pope they cannot buy, bully, or ignore.
www.thelettersfromleo.com
November 10, 2025 at 11:56 PM
A tech billionaire mocked Pope Leo XIV’s call for ethical AI.
The post was deleted — but not before exposing Silicon Valley’s deeper discomfort: a pope they can’t buy or bully.
It also revealed something older: the Valley’s original sin — the desire to be God.
The post was deleted — but not before exposing Silicon Valley’s deeper discomfort: a pope they can’t buy or bully.
It also revealed something older: the Valley’s original sin — the desire to be God.
The fascist youth movement, led by a self-described “Catholic” nationalist who praises Hitler and blames Jews for the death of Christ, is no longer a fringe curiosity. It is now, undeniably, a rising center of gravity in conservative politics.
The worst part? JD Vance is trying to win over them.
The worst part? JD Vance is trying to win over them.
Groypers at the Gates: The Catholic Fascist Turn in the MAGA Right
Nick Fuentes’s Groyper movement — rooted in reactionary Catholicism — is fracturing conservatives and igniting an civil war over Israel, race, and religion. The GOP only has themselves to blame.
www.thelettersfromleo.com
November 10, 2025 at 9:58 PM
The fascist youth movement, led by a self-described “Catholic” nationalist who praises Hitler and blames Jews for the death of Christ, is no longer a fringe curiosity. It is now, undeniably, a rising center of gravity in conservative politics.
The worst part? JD Vance is trying to win over them.
The worst part? JD Vance is trying to win over them.
After 25 years away, the openly gay ABC anchor found his way back to church.
He credits Pope Francis’s inclusive legacy — carried on by Pope Leo XIV — and the outreach of Fr. James Martin for guidance.
He credits Pope Francis’s inclusive legacy — carried on by Pope Leo XIV — and the outreach of Fr. James Martin for guidance.
Gio Benitez, Openly Gay ABC Anchor, Joins the Catholic Church
After 25 years away, the openly gay TV anchor found his way back to church. He credits Pope Francis’s inclusive legacy — carried on by Pope Leo XIV — and the outreach of Fr. James Martin for guidance.
www.thelettersfromleo.com
November 10, 2025 at 7:03 PM
After 25 years away, the openly gay ABC anchor found his way back to church.
He credits Pope Francis’s inclusive legacy — carried on by Pope Leo XIV — and the outreach of Fr. James Martin for guidance.
He credits Pope Francis’s inclusive legacy — carried on by Pope Leo XIV — and the outreach of Fr. James Martin for guidance.
Why is Pope Leo XIV so good at handling corrupt politicians?
He’s been doing it for nearly decades.
He’s been doing it for nearly decades.
How Pope Leo Faced Corrupt Politicians and Economic Collapse in Peru — and Built Hope Instead
Long before he was Pope Leo XIV, Fr. Roberto Prevost learned what real power in the fact looks like: presence, patience, and courage.
www.thelettersfromleo.com
November 10, 2025 at 5:36 PM
Why is Pope Leo XIV so good at handling corrupt politicians?
He’s been doing it for nearly decades.
He’s been doing it for nearly decades.
Photos like make me miss Pope Francis. If he isn’t in heaven, none of us are making it.
November 10, 2025 at 3:42 AM
Photos like make me miss Pope Francis. If he isn’t in heaven, none of us are making it.
Pope Leo called on U.S. bishops to speak with one voice on migrant dignity.
Now Archbishop Alexander Sample — a leading conservative prelate — has answered.
In a new statement, he condemns the Trump-Vance ICE raids and affirms: “Their dignity comes from God, not government.”
Now Archbishop Alexander Sample — a leading conservative prelate — has answered.
In a new statement, he condemns the Trump-Vance ICE raids and affirms: “Their dignity comes from God, not government.”
Answering Pope Leo's Call, Top Conservative Archbishop Defends Migrants Against Trump’s ICE Raids
Known as one of the most conservative U.S. bishops, Archbishop Alexander Sample is calling the government’s crackdown on immigrants an affront to “human dignity” that comes from God, not government.
www.thelettersfromleo.com
November 10, 2025 at 2:25 AM
Pope Leo called on U.S. bishops to speak with one voice on migrant dignity.
Now Archbishop Alexander Sample — a leading conservative prelate — has answered.
In a new statement, he condemns the Trump-Vance ICE raids and affirms: “Their dignity comes from God, not government.”
Now Archbishop Alexander Sample — a leading conservative prelate — has answered.
In a new statement, he condemns the Trump-Vance ICE raids and affirms: “Their dignity comes from God, not government.”
Make no mistake — Pope Leo will win this fight.
Pope Leo vs. the Empire of Lies: The Long Game to Defeat Trumpism
He’s already rebuked immigration crackdowns and blasted the “logic of exclusion” fueling rising nationalism. Now, as the youngest pope in 35 years, Leo is poised to help defeat Trumpism for good.
open.substack.com
November 10, 2025 at 1:50 AM
Make no mistake — Pope Leo will win this fight.
While corrupt leaders plunged Peru into chaos and inflation made life unlivable, a quiet priest in Trujillo held his community together.
Decades later, the world calls him Pope Leo XIV — but the people of Peru still call him Padre Roberto.
Decades later, the world calls him Pope Leo XIV — but the people of Peru still call him Padre Roberto.
How Pope Leo Faced Corrupt Politicians and Economic Collapse in Peru — and Built Hope Instead
Long before he was Pope Leo XIV, Fr. Roberto Prevost learned what real power in the fact looks like: presence, patience, and courage.
www.thelettersfromleo.com
November 9, 2025 at 10:32 PM
While corrupt leaders plunged Peru into chaos and inflation made life unlivable, a quiet priest in Trujillo held his community together.
Decades later, the world calls him Pope Leo XIV — but the people of Peru still call him Padre Roberto.
Decades later, the world calls him Pope Leo XIV — but the people of Peru still call him Padre Roberto.
In 1998, Fr. Robert Prevost told his seminarians to pee on a frozen windshield.
They were stuck in the Andes, en route to an ordination. No defroster. No time to waste.
“Someone has to urinate on it,” he said. Someone did. The van kept moving.
That priest became pope.
They were stuck in the Andes, en route to an ordination. No defroster. No time to waste.
“Someone has to urinate on it,” he said. Someone did. The van kept moving.
That priest became pope.
As a DIY Fix, Pope Leo Once Told Seminarians to Pee on a Frozen Windshield
In the freezing Andes, a future pope offered a very human solution to a very icy problem.
www.thelettersfromleo.com
November 9, 2025 at 9:21 PM
In 1998, Fr. Robert Prevost told his seminarians to pee on a frozen windshield.
They were stuck in the Andes, en route to an ordination. No defroster. No time to waste.
“Someone has to urinate on it,” he said. Someone did. The van kept moving.
That priest became pope.
They were stuck in the Andes, en route to an ordination. No defroster. No time to waste.
“Someone has to urinate on it,” he said. Someone did. The van kept moving.
That priest became pope.
Meet a 91-year-old nun who’s showing faith in action while a self-proclaimed defender of the Gospel, JD Vance, stays silent.
Read how Sister JoAnn Persch outpace a man forty years younger than her.
Read how Sister JoAnn Persch outpace a man forty years younger than her.
Meet The 91-Year-Old Nun Standing Up to JD Vance
As America's most notorious Catholic convert in power stays silent, a 91-year-old nun shows what living the Gospel really means.
www.thelettersfromleo.com
November 9, 2025 at 8:22 PM
Meet a 91-year-old nun who’s showing faith in action while a self-proclaimed defender of the Gospel, JD Vance, stays silent.
Read how Sister JoAnn Persch outpace a man forty years younger than her.
Read how Sister JoAnn Persch outpace a man forty years younger than her.
This should be national news. Please spread widely as possible.
NEW: Ignoring Pope Leo’s Warning, Trump-Vance White House Bans Prayer Vigils at ICE Facility
Trump-Vance officials told Church leaders “no more prayer” outside a Chicago-area detention center — just days after Pope Leo warned the White House was trampling religious liberty.
www.thelettersfromleo.com
November 9, 2025 at 7:23 PM
This should be national news. Please spread widely as possible.
Will any of Catholics in the Trump-Vance Administration speak out against the government banning Masses in the parking lot outside the ICE facility in Chicago? www.thelettersfromleo.com/p/new-ignori...
NEW: Ignoring Pope Leo’s Warning, Trump-Vance White House Bans Prayer Vigils at ICE Facility
Trump-Vance officials told Church leaders “no more prayer” outside a Chicago-area detention center — just days after Pope Leo warned the White House was trampling religious liberty.
www.thelettersfromleo.com
November 9, 2025 at 5:22 PM
Will any of Catholics in the Trump-Vance Administration speak out against the government banning Masses in the parking lot outside the ICE facility in Chicago? www.thelettersfromleo.com/p/new-ignori...
When Leo XIII wrote Rerum Novarum, the Gilded Age industrialists thought they were gods among men. The pope reminded them who the real God was.
Pope Leo XIV will do the same for today’s Silicon Valley’s tech bros high on hubris and low on wisdom.
Pope Leo XIV will do the same for today’s Silicon Valley’s tech bros high on hubris and low on wisdom.
The Pope of “New Things”: Leo XIII’s Legacy in Pope Leo XIV’s Vision
From Rerum Novarum to the age of artificial intelligence: Pope Leo XIV says he chose his name to carry forward Leo XIII’s mission of confronting the “new things” of society.
www.thelettersfromleo.com
November 9, 2025 at 1:34 PM
When Leo XIII wrote Rerum Novarum, the Gilded Age industrialists thought they were gods among men. The pope reminded them who the real God was.
Pope Leo XIV will do the same for today’s Silicon Valley’s tech bros high on hubris and low on wisdom.
Pope Leo XIV will do the same for today’s Silicon Valley’s tech bros high on hubris and low on wisdom.
Half a year into his papacy, Pope Leo has done what no world leader — religious or political — has dared: he’s taking on Trump’s empire of lies, head-on.
I was there the night Leo was elected. I’ve spent the last six months watching him find his voice — and it’s shaking the foundations of power.
I was there the night Leo was elected. I’ve spent the last six months watching him find his voice — and it’s shaking the foundations of power.
Six Months of Pope Leo: "This is An Hour For Love"
The moment six months ago, when white smoke billowed over where I stood in St. Peter’s Square and Pope Leo XIV was elected the 267th leader of the Catholic Church, is one I’ll never forget.
www.thelettersfromleo.com
November 9, 2025 at 2:22 AM
Half a year into his papacy, Pope Leo has done what no world leader — religious or political — has dared: he’s taking on Trump’s empire of lies, head-on.
I was there the night Leo was elected. I’ve spent the last six months watching him find his voice — and it’s shaking the foundations of power.
I was there the night Leo was elected. I’ve spent the last six months watching him find his voice — and it’s shaking the foundations of power.
NEW: The Trump-Vance White House just banned prayer vigils outside a migrant detention center.
Yes — prayer. On the sidewalk.
And it comes days after Pope Leo XIV publicly warned them not to go down this road.
Yes — prayer. On the sidewalk.
And it comes days after Pope Leo XIV publicly warned them not to go down this road.
NEW: Ignoring Pope Leo’s Warning, Trump-Vance White House Bans Prayer Vigils at ICE Facility
Trump-Vance officials told Church leaders “no more prayer” outside a Chicago-area detention center — just days after Pope Leo warned the White House was trampling religious liberty.
www.thelettersfromleo.com
November 8, 2025 at 10:54 PM
NEW: The Trump-Vance White House just banned prayer vigils outside a migrant detention center.
Yes — prayer. On the sidewalk.
And it comes days after Pope Leo XIV publicly warned them not to go down this road.
Yes — prayer. On the sidewalk.
And it comes days after Pope Leo XIV publicly warned them not to go down this road.
Much has already been written about Pope Leo’s high-profile roles.
But far less is known about the earlier chapter in northern Peru, when a young Fr. Bob lived and worked in Trujillo during the 1990s turmoil.
Now, a new book by one of Leo’s closest friends finally illuminate those formative years.
But far less is known about the earlier chapter in northern Peru, when a young Fr. Bob lived and worked in Trujillo during the 1990s turmoil.
Now, a new book by one of Leo’s closest friends finally illuminate those formative years.
Pope Leo's Hidden Years in Trujillo: The Theology of Friendship in the Making the First American Pope
In this two part series, we'll explore a new book that gives us the deepest insight ever to the young Fr. Robert Prevost's time as a missionary priest in the 1990s in northern Peru.
www.thelettersfromleo.com
November 8, 2025 at 9:35 PM
Much has already been written about Pope Leo’s high-profile roles.
But far less is known about the earlier chapter in northern Peru, when a young Fr. Bob lived and worked in Trujillo during the 1990s turmoil.
Now, a new book by one of Leo’s closest friends finally illuminate those formative years.
But far less is known about the earlier chapter in northern Peru, when a young Fr. Bob lived and worked in Trujillo during the 1990s turmoil.
Now, a new book by one of Leo’s closest friends finally illuminate those formative years.
“A Church that sets no limits to love, that knows no enemies to fight but only men and women to love, is the Church that the world needs today.” — Pope Leo XIV www.thelettersfromleo.com/p/in-magna-c...
In Magna Carta Address, Pope Leo Calls for a Church That Washes Feet, Not Wields Power
“Let us dream of a Church that heals, not judges,” Pope Leo pleads in a sweeping homily that laid out the blueprint for his papacy.
www.thelettersfromleo.com
November 8, 2025 at 7:21 PM
“A Church that sets no limits to love, that knows no enemies to fight but only men and women to love, is the Church that the world needs today.” — Pope Leo XIV www.thelettersfromleo.com/p/in-magna-c...
The Trump-Vance White House is orchestrating a full-scale frontal assault on the religious liberty of the Catholic Church.
Pope Leo XIV Denounces Trump-Vance Decision to Block Eucharist from ICE Detainees
After ICE refuses to allow detained migrants to receive the Eucharist, Pope Leo calls on Trump and Vance to respect migrants‘ dignity and religious liberty.
www.thelettersfromleo.com
November 8, 2025 at 6:36 PM
The Trump-Vance White House is orchestrating a full-scale frontal assault on the religious liberty of the Catholic Church.
If Democrats want to win back the White House in 2028, we need to make our party bigger.
As Pope Leo teaches us, that means we must spend more time seeking converts, not punishing heretics.
As Pope Leo teaches us, that means we must spend more time seeking converts, not punishing heretics.
Unity, Not Uniformity — Pope Leo’s Big Tent Lesson for Democrats
Pope Leo XIV isn't obsessed with moving the Church left or right so much as making it bigger. If Democrats want to start winning elections again, they should take note.
www.thelettersfromleo.com
November 8, 2025 at 4:36 PM
If Democrats want to win back the White House in 2028, we need to make our party bigger.
As Pope Leo teaches us, that means we must spend more time seeking converts, not punishing heretics.
As Pope Leo teaches us, that means we must spend more time seeking converts, not punishing heretics.
Here's the story of how Fr. Dominic Legge and Fr. Henry Stephan quietly mentored one of America’s most powerful politicians into Catholicism — and what it reveals about a growing movement of ideologically driven converts whose faith often blossoms in private but manifests explosively in public.
The Dominican Friars Who Guided JD Vance’s Conversion to Catholicism
Two Dominican priors intellectual tutelage, outside the usual parish classes, shaped JD Vance as he became America's most famous and controversial convert.
www.thelettersfromleo.com
November 8, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Here's the story of how Fr. Dominic Legge and Fr. Henry Stephan quietly mentored one of America’s most powerful politicians into Catholicism — and what it reveals about a growing movement of ideologically driven converts whose faith often blossoms in private but manifests explosively in public.
When Cardinal Prevost became Pope Leo XIV, global headlines fixated on his nationality — the first American pope, claimed by both the United States and Peru.
But Leo himself immediately pointed to a deeper identity.
But Leo himself immediately pointed to a deeper identity.
The Story Everyone’s Missing About Pope Leo
Yes, he’s American. But his Augustinian identity is what really defines his leadership.
substack.com
November 8, 2025 at 4:05 AM
When Cardinal Prevost became Pope Leo XIV, global headlines fixated on his nationality — the first American pope, claimed by both the United States and Peru.
But Leo himself immediately pointed to a deeper identity.
But Leo himself immediately pointed to a deeper identity.
Who do you believe — the ICE spokeswoman or Pope Leo?
White House Doubles Down, Accuses Pope Leo of Lying About ICE's Eucharist Ban
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin is claiming Pope Leo XIV got it wrong on migrants denied Communion — a claim that’s easily disproven by the facts on the ground.
open.substack.com
November 8, 2025 at 2:05 AM
Who do you believe — the ICE spokeswoman or Pope Leo?
The 91-year-old nun ministering to Catholic migrant detainees isn’t a fan of the vice president.
Meet The 91-Year-Old Nun Standing Up to JD Vance
As America's most notorious Catholic convert in power stays silent, a 91-year-old nun shows what living the Gospel really means.
www.thelettersfromleo.com
November 8, 2025 at 1:02 AM
The 91-year-old nun ministering to Catholic migrant detainees isn’t a fan of the vice president.
I didn’t expect to end up in a public brawl with the most powerful Catholic in America.
But after JD Vance’s team smeared the pope, I wrote him a letter — not with anger, but with an invitation.
It made national news. Here's what should happen next:
But after JD Vance’s team smeared the pope, I wrote him a letter — not with anger, but with an invitation.
It made national news. Here's what should happen next:
My Fight with JD Vance Made National Headlines — Here's A Better Way Forward
Why I invited JD Vance into conversation — and what such dialogue can do to guide the future of Catholic public life in the United States.
www.thelettersfromleo.com
November 8, 2025 at 12:02 AM
I didn’t expect to end up in a public brawl with the most powerful Catholic in America.
But after JD Vance’s team smeared the pope, I wrote him a letter — not with anger, but with an invitation.
It made national news. Here's what should happen next:
But after JD Vance’s team smeared the pope, I wrote him a letter — not with anger, but with an invitation.
It made national news. Here's what should happen next: