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Connections
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Connections

Catholics grade Pope Leo XIV

By Evan Dawson,
Megan Mack, Julie Williams
Published January 22, 2026 at 4:03 PM EST
Three people wearing headphones sit at a radio talk studio: a woman at left has long brown hair and is wearing glasses, a green cardigan and brown shirt; a man at center has short brown hair, a brown beard and is wearing glasses, a blue plaid blazer and salmon colored button-down shirt.
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WXXI News
Nora Bradbury-Haehl and Andrew Cirillo with host Evan Dawson on "Connections with Evan Dawson" on Thursday, January 22, 2026
WXXI News

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller recently lashed out at Pope Leo XIV over the pope's remarks about immigration. Miller said that the pope is betraying his Catholic obligations.

But a number of American Catholics are expressing pride in the first American pope. According to Pew Research in September, 84% of U.S. Catholics surveyed said they have a favorable view of the church's new leader.

Our guests discuss what they are seeing so far from Pope Leo XIV.

In studio:

  • Nora Bradbury-Haehl, Catholic writer and pastoral associate at Queen of Peace and St. Thomas More Churches
  • Andrew Cirillo, university chaplain and associate director for the Center for Campus Life at RIT

Connections
Evan Dawson
Evan Dawson is the host of "Connections with Evan Dawson." He joined WXXI in January 2014 after working at 13WHAM-TV, where he served as morning news anchor. He was hired as a reporter for 13WHAM-TV in 2003 before being promoted to anchor in 2007.
See stories by Evan Dawson
Megan Mack
Megan Mack is the executive producer of "Connections with Evan Dawson" and live/televised engagement programming.
See stories by Megan Mack
Julie Williams
Julie Williams is an associate producer for "Connections with Evan Dawson." She started at WXXI in 2019 and has been working on Connections since 2022.
See stories by Julie Williams