Buchanan disputed that reasoning. He countered that egalitarianism has proven to be the road to dictatorship, which stifles capitalism. Free enterprise has brought millions of people out of poverty, and enabled additional billions of people to live longer, freer, healthier and happier lives, while producing more widespread prosperity, than any other economic system, Buchanan argued.

Buchanan asked whether the 100 million people of Eastern Europe, the 300 million of the late Soviet Union and the 1.2 billion people in China are better off the further they have moved away from Marxism, and the closer they have moved toward free-market capitalism.

The pope is a “saintly man,” Buchanan wrote. But the pontiff has no special understanding of economic systems or of climate change. He is the Vicar of Christ, the Savior sent by God to teach us what we must believe and how we must live to gain eternal life, Buchanan added.

Christ did not come among us to end colonialism, or redistribute wealth, or start a social revolution against the empire of the Caesars, Buchanan continued. He told Pontius Pilate, “My Kingdom is not of this world.”

Pope Francis is the “infallible custodian” of the truths Christ taught, concluded Buchanan, who suggested that the pope leave socialist sermons to politicians such as Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren.