Pope Leo XIV may have broken a historic barrier by becoming the first pontiff from the United States, but his views on the Catholic Church could harken back to more traditional times. There are also some areas of the church's doctrine where he takes a more progressive stance, similar to his predecessor, Pope Francis.
Climate change
Leo has also proven himself informed on modern climate issues like greenhouse gases and electric vehicles. He has criticized the "'harmful' effects of technological development and reaffirmed the Vatican's commitments to protecting the environment," said NPR. He also cited Francis' "installation of solar panels and shift to electric vehicles" as a commitment to a clean-energy church.
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LGBTQ+ rights
Leo is less progressive on LGBTQ+ issues than his predecessor, as Francis famously said of gay Catholics, "Who am I to judge?" But Leo has said that "media depictions of the modern family present a major challenge to the Catholic Church," according to The Washington Post.
He has spoken out against what the National Catholic Register has called "disordered sexual practices and ideologies," including same-sex relationships. When he was a bishop in Peru, Leo also "opposed a plan to teach transgenderism in schools." However, while he is more strict about the church's anti-LGBTQ+ stance, Leo has also taken a "somewhat neutral position on Fiducia Supplicans," a 2023 Catholic Church doctrine that "allowed for blessings of people in same-sex couples."
Abortion and women's health
The Catholic Church generally opposes expanded reproductive care, and Leo has "criticized abortion in his homilies, often tying the issue of abortion to euthanasia," said Newsweek. People "cannot build a just society if we discard the weakest — whether the child in the womb or the elderly in their frailty," Leo said in a 2019 speech as a cardinal. He was also a member of his university's anti-abortion club, the Post said.
Regarding other women's health issues like contraception and IVF, Leo "has not made clear his views," said The 19th. This is in line with Francis, who during his time as pope "typically avoided highlighting reproductive health."
Political stance
Leo has "shared posts on X about political issues for years, including criticism of the Trump administration's stances on immigration," said CBS News. This includes reposting an article that "criticized Vice President J.D. Vance's response to a question on immigration." Leo also spoke harshly of the first Trump administration's migrant policy several times as a cardinal.
The pope has previously voted in some Republican primaries in his home state of Illinois. However, he is "not registered as a member of a political party," as Illinois does not have party registrations, and his "voter history does not indicate whom he voted for or why," said ABC News.
Church sex abuse
One of the main criticisms of the new pope is that he reportedly swept allegations of church sexual abuse under the rug. Leo was "accused of 'disregarding allegations' of abuse against two priests in Peru" and has a "history of resisting disclosure of abuse information to the public," the watchdog group BishopAccountability told The Guardian.
As a cardinal, Leo "denounced clergy sexual abuse and urged victims to come forward," said USA Today, and reportedly helped shut down the Catholic movement Sodality of Christian Life following abuse allegations. But "survivors are worried he will not take a tough enough stance to eradicate abuse within the church."
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