Pope Leo XIV in His Own Words: Immigration, Euthanasia, Abortion and More

When Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost stepped onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica as Pope Leo XIV, the first American to ever hold the papacy, the moment was both historic and surprising.

Prevost was not among the frontrunners of a conclave that was followed as closely as a championship match. His name appeared in few public predictions. On betting platforms like Polymarket, he wasn’t even granted a one percent chance. Yet there he was—quiet, composed—delivering his first papal blessing to a stunned crowd in St. Peter’s Square on Thursday in the heart of Rome.

A Chicago-born, low-key missionary who spent much of his adult life in Peru, serving for years as bishop in the northern city of Chiclayo, Prevost was better known among Latin American clergy than in Vatican circles. Even after his 2023 elevation to head the Dicastery for Bishops, he rarely made headlines and seldom courted the media.

But he is the first pope to have a confirmed, pre-papal presence on social media, giving the world a look — however imperfect — into some of his views and positions on issues relevant to the 1.4 billion Catholics he now leads.

His positions on major social issues have not been widely known. But as interest in his worldview exploded with the cries of “Habemus Papam!” from the Vatican loggia, a clearer picture has begun to emerge—gradually, through the public posts he’s shared or amplified on social media, along with past speeches and interviews.

These are Pope Leo XIV’s views, in his own words.

Abortion

Pope Leo XIV has consistently opposed abortion, often connecting it with broader themes of life and dignity, as is typical of devout Catholics. In a 2019 homily, he stated, “We cannot build a just society if we discard the weakest—whether the child in the womb or the elderly in their frailty—for they are both gifts from God.”

More recently, in 2023, while addressing clergy in Peru, he said, “The Church must walk with all people, especially the most vulnerable, ensuring their dignity is upheld from the womb to the end of life, as this is the heart of Christ’s mission.”

He has also used social media to amplify anti-abortion sentiments. In 2015, then-Bishop Prevost tweeted a photo from a March for Life rally in Chiclayo, Peru, writing, “Let’s defend human life at all times!”

During the 2012 Synod of Bishops, he criticized Western media’s role in promoting what he termed “beliefs and practices at odds with the Gospel—for example abortion,” citing it alongside homosexuality and euthanasia.

Christianity and the Church

Prevost has long maintained that the Church must remain a moral compass even when countercultural. In a 2012 synod address, he warned that the modern world’s celebration of individual autonomy often leads believers away from the Gospel.

Aside from his conservative-leaning theological positions, his personal demeanor has earned praise. “He is humble, reserved, straightforward, trustworthy,” said Rev. James Martin, founder of an LGBTQ outreach ministry, in an interview with the Washington Post. “When he talked, people listened.”

In his first address as pope, Leo XIV spoke about “building bridges” and “God’s love for all,” language that echoes Francis’ style, though the doctrinal firmness remains unchanged.

Earlier this year, Prevost entered the American culture wars, reposting a National Catholic Reporter article titled “JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others.”

The piece criticized Vance’s interpretation of the ordo amoris—a Christian concept—after the vice president said on Fox News, “you love your family and then you love your neighbor… and then after that you can focus and prioritize the rest of the world.”

Shared by Prevost in February, the article argued that Jesus never treated love as something limited or ranked.

LGBTQ Issues

Pope Leo XIV’s approach to LGBTQ matters diverges in tone from that of his predecessor, Francis, who famously asked, “Who am I to judge?”

In a 2012 address delivered while he was the Augustinian prior general, Leo XIV—then Robert Prevost—criticized the media for portraying “alternative families composed of same-sex partners and their adopted children” in a positive light.

“Western mass media is extraordinarily effective in fostering within the general public enormous sympathy for beliefs and practices that are at odds with the gospel, for example abortion, homosexual lifestyle, euthanasia,” he said.

In a follow-up interview after becoming a cardinal in 2023, he acknowledged Pope Francis’ emphasis on inclusivity. “We are looking to be more welcoming and more open and to say all people are welcome in the church,” he said, but clarified that doctrinal stances had not changed.

Euthanasia

Leo XIV has also voiced opposition to euthanasia, which is, again, generally opposed by Catholics. In 2016, he shared a Catholic News Agency article cautioning against legalizing the practice in Canada, amplifying voices from Belgium who had witnessed its effects.

“‘Don’t go there’ – Belgians plead with Canada not to pass euthanasia law #Prolife,” he tweeted, warning that assisted suicide “threatens the most vulnerable in society.”

In more recent comments from 2023, he reaffirmed this connection between euthanasia and abortion, saying that both acts “discard the weakest” and reflect a societal failure to recognize the dignity of life.

“We cannot build a just society if we discard the weakest—whether the child in the womb or the elderly in their frailty—for they are both gifts from God.”

Immigration

While Leo XIV has not issued sweeping statements on immigration policy since becoming pope, his earlier public comments and reposts reveal a perspective grounded in Catholic social teaching—and occasionally at odds with U.S. conservative rhetoric.

As a bishop and later a cardinal, Prevost shared multiple articles critical of harsh immigration crackdowns and voiced support for migrants’ dignity and protection. In 2019, while overseeing pastoral care in Peru, he emphasized the Church’s obligation to welcome the stranger, a core Gospel mandate. That principle extended to his social media activity in the United States.

In one example, he reposted a 2021 critique of President Donald Trump’s immigration policies, calling for “a path rooted in human rights, not exclusion.” In another post from 2022, he shared an article decrying family separation policies as “antithetical to a pro-life ethic.”

Political Stances

While Pope Leo XIV has largely avoided overt partisanship, during his years in Peru, Prevost often took firm positions against corruption and authoritarianism.

He was publicly critical of former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori and his allies, speaking out against human rights abuses and what he described as “the moral cost of authoritarian shortcuts.” His tenure as bishop of Chiclayo included advocacy for indigenous rights and repeated appeals for clean government.

In 2017, shortly after Fujimori received a controversial pardon, Prevost—then the Bishop of Chiclayo—publicly criticized the nature of his apology. The cardinal described Fujimori’s expression of remorse as “generic” and suggested that it would be more effective for him to personally apologize to each victim for the significant injustices committed during his regime, for which he was tried and sentenced.

Climate Change

In line with Pope Francis’ environmental advocacy, Leo XIV has shown strong support for action on climate change. Speaking in 2024 as the prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, he warned against a “tyrannical” dominion over nature and called for a “relationship of reciprocity” with the Earth.

“It is time to move from words to action,” he said about the “environmental crisis,” emphasizing stewardship and sustainable living in a November 2024 address.

His remarks reflected the Vatican taking its own steps toward sustainability, including installing solar panels and switching it fleet to electric vehicles.

A Pope of Continuity—and Contrast

Pope Leo XIV’s pontificate may be shaped as much by what he inherits as what he personally embodies. According to Héctor Varela Ríos, assistant professor of theology at Villanova University, his alma mater, Leo signals “a desire for continuity” with Pope Francis’ pastoral priorities, especially the vision of a “Church that listens”—a synodal church attentive to the poor and marginalized.

But Varela also noted a shift in tone: “Pope Leo XIV has already demonstrated in some exhibitions that he tends to be a little more conservative in some of his opinions.” In a moment where the global Church is contending with rising conservatism, especially in the United States, Leo’s quieter, more moderate posture could serve as a bridge—not a reversal of Francis, but a recalibration.

As to whether Leo XIV will be a political pope, Varela Ríos was cautious: “He’s now the leader of an institution with 1.4 million employees… It’s complicated.” But he believes the pontiff will not remain silent.

“He’s shown he has no problem entering political debates when necessary,” he said. “We’ll see along the way how this develops.”