As a record number of pilgrims representing all walks of life filled the streets of Rome to mourn the death of “The People’s Pope,” history will indicate the fiercest critics of the Francis Pontificate were American Catholics. This should come as no surprise. Since the 1970’s, the American Catholic Church has been little more than a lobbying arm of the Republican Party, having dived deep into secular politics while drifting away from the authentic gospel.

Francis was the antithesis of American Catholicism.

Having spent the better part of the last decade infiltrating and investigating religious extremism, it didn’t take me long to notice the late shepherd endured flagrant resistance from “sheep” fueled by MAGA-inspired clerics such as Raymond Burke, Joseph Strickland, and the defrocked Frank Pavone. Likewise, lay "influencers" like Candace Owens, Steve Bannon, and Mel Gibson declared Francis as the anti-pope, an imposter, and Satan’s minion. Extremist right-wing Catholic “apostolates” booked papal opponents as keynote speakers for conferences aimed at “consecrating” families. Such gatherings were hardly “consecrations.” In fact, they were schisms.

Francis was frequently accused by MAGA Catholics of being an authoritarian, manipulative, reckless, and politically partisan pontiff. Many went so far as to allege the Holy Father was … a dictator. Some even called for his overthrow.

Ironic, right?

Though the MAGA movement is intimately acquainted with a dictator, Jorge Mario Bergoglio certainly doesn’t fit that description. Hundreds of heartfelt obituaries and testimonies have been published in recent days highlighting the numerous acts that should lead even the most milquetoast Catholic to proclaim, “Santo subito: Make him a saint, now,” which they rather boldly shouted after the death of the late Pope John Paul II.

Just like his life, the death of Pope Francis was peaceful.

Though the MAGA movement holds facts in low regard, let the record show that when it comes to death, the expiration of a dictator has rarely been described as peaceful. Many of them keel over from massive heart attacks and suffer prolonged comas – assuming they even make it that far.

Adolf Hitler was rumored to have shot himself in the temple. In 1945, as Benito Mussolini was fleeing Italy, he was stopped and shot. Nicolae Ceausescu sobbed before a Romanian firing squad.

In the early morning hours of March 2nd, 1953, Joseph Stalin suffered a severe stroke. It took 17 hours for guards to muster up the courage to check on the dictator, who had given strict orders never to be disturbed. Upon entering his bedchamber, they found him on the floor, soaked in urine, still alive. He would expire four days later, awakening from his coma only during the final moments of his life. According to his daughter Svetlana, "On March 5, 1953, at the last moment he suddenly opened his eyes. It was a terrible look – either mad, or angry and full of fear of death. Suddenly he raised his left hand and pointed his finger at all of us. A moment later, his soul was separated from his body.”

On December 30th, 2005, Saddam Hussein was led to the gallows northeast of Baghdad. Leaked video revealed the Iraqi dictator was verbally combative as he faced death, shouting back at hecklers and calling himself the savior of Iraq.

In 2011, Libyan forces found Muammar Gadhafi hiding in a roadside drainage pipe. Cellphone videos revealed that he was dragged through the streets, beaten, and poked with a bayonet. At some point, he was shot in the head.

As for the so-called “Dictator Pope?”

On Easter Sunday, Francis humbly asked to be driven around St. Peter’s Square one last time to spend a few moments of the holiest day of the year among the people. Then, from the iconic balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, he offered what would be his last Urbi et Orbi apostolic blessing. A short time later he would (rather symbolically) finally consent to the desperate meeting requests of an outspoken American Catholic: JD Vance, whose anti-Christian rhetoric the Holy Father vehemently opposed. The next morning, “the people’s pope” uttered his final words: “Thank you.” He then laid down, waved goodbye, closed his eyes, and went to his eternal reward with a peaceful look on his face.

As a fallen away Catholic, I confess that I didn’t exactly see eye-to-eye liturgically or theologically with Pope Francis. Socially, however, he was worthy of being called a role model. Politically, you could call him a revolutionary – but a dictator? Please. It would appear MAGA Catholics suffer from a gross lack of self-awareness.

The writer is a columnist and a former Kansas legislator.