Robert Francis Prevost Becomes Pope Leo XIV — Inside His Beliefs and Stance on Key Issues

This is not a drill — we finally have a new Pope!

On Thursday, May 8, 2025, the second day of the 2025 papal conclave, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost of the United States was elected Pope after just four ballots.

Now known as Pope Leo XIV, Prevost makes history as the first North American to ascend to the papacy. With his election, a pressing question emerges: What are his beliefs?

While Pope Leo XIV is generally seen as a centrist, his views on some social issues are considered progressive. According to The New York Times, he shares Pope Francis's commitment to the poor, migrants, and meeting people where they are.

In an October 2024 interview with Vatican News, Pope Leo XIV stated that "the bishop is not supposed to be a little prince sitting in his kingdom." Instead, he said that church leaders must be "called authentically to be humble, to be close to the people he serves, to walk with them, and to suffer with them."

However, like his longtime ally, the late Pope Francis, the American remains conservative on certain church doctrines, including the ordination of women as deacons, a stance that has drawn criticism from some quarters.

As for LGBTQ+ issues, Pope Leo XIV has reportedly expressed more traditional views. In a 2012 address to bishops, per The New York Times, he lamented the influence of Western media in fostering "sympathy for beliefs and practices that are at odds with the gospel," specifically referencing the "homosexual lifestyle" and same-sex families.

Pope Leo XIV also previously opposed the inclusion of "teachings on gender in schools" in Peru. As bishop in Chiclayo, he told local media, according to The New York Times, that the "promotion of gender ideology is confusing, because it seeks to create genders that don't exist."

He also opposes abortion.

Additionally, his handling of sexual abuse allegations has sparked major controversy. One woman from Chiclayo, who accused two priests of abuse when she was a child, openly criticized the new Pope Leo XIV for mishandling an investigation and allowing one of the accused priests to continue celebrating Mass.

The diocese of Chiclayo reported that the now former Cardinal initiated an investigation, but the Vatican closed it. After a new bishop arrived, the investigation was reopened. Supporters of Pope Leo XIV argue that these accusations are part of a smear campaign orchestrated by a Peruvian Catholic group disbanded by Pope Francis.

In his hometown of Chicago, several activists have criticized Pope Leo XIV for his role in moving a priest accused of abusing young boys to a monastery, despite church officials confirming that the priest had been abusing minors for years. As head of the Midwest Augustinian order at the time, he would have approved the move.

Since taking on his new role at the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV has remained tight-lipped about his personal beliefs and the controversies surrounding these issues.