Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, formerly Robert Prevost, has a record of speaking out on issues like climate change, gender ideology in schools, and abortion, often aligning with traditional Catholic stances but opposing capital punishment and expressing support for gun control

[dropcap]N[/dropcap]ewly elected Pope Leo XIV is widely regarded as soft-spoken and cautious, yet his recent years have seen him vocal on significant contemporary issues ranging from gender ideology in education to the urgent need for climate action.

Also read: World leaders greet emergence of first American pope, Leo XIV

Prior to his election on Thursday as the leader of the Roman Catholic Church, the 69-year-old Chicago native, known then as Robert Francis Prevost, has offered insights into his perspectives on various contentious topics through past social media activity, public statements, and media interviews.

Climate Change:

Similar to his predecessor, Pope Francis, Leo XIV firmly believes in the moral obligation of the faithful to safeguard the planet.

As the former President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America and Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, Prevost emphasized in November of last year the critical need to transition “from words to action” in addressing the “environmental crisis.”

He cautioned against a “tyrannical” interpretation of “dominion over nature,” advocating for a “relationship of reciprocity” between humanity and the environment, as reported by Vatican News.

Prevost also highlighted the Vatican’s adoption of solar panels and electric vehicles as examples of responsible environmental stewardship.

Gender Ideology and Homosexuality:

While Pope Francis adopted a more inclusive stance, famously asking “Who am I to judge?” regarding gay individuals and advocating for their societal integration, Pope Leo XIV’s views appear less accommodating.

In a 2012 address to bishops, Prevost reportedly criticized the news media and popular culture for fostering “sympathy for beliefs and practices that are at odds with the gospel,” according to the New York Times.

Among the specific “beliefs and practices” he cited were the “homosexual lifestyle” and “alternative families comprised of same-sex partners and their adopted children.”

During his time as the bishop of Chiclayo in Peru, Prevost opposed a government initiative aimed at introducing gender ideology teachings in schools, stating to local media that “the promotion of gender ideology is confusing, because it seeks to create genders that don’t exist.”

Abortion:

Pope Leo XIV has consistently expressed strong support for the Catholic Church’s unwavering anti-abortion stance on social media.

In 2015, he shared a photograph from a March For Life rally in Chiclayo, urging his followers to “Let’s defend human life at all times!”

Prevost also retweeted a 2017 article from the Catholic News Agency featuring New York Archbishop Timothy Cardinal Dolan’s condemnation of abortion during a mass preceding the March for Life rally in Washington, D.C., where Dolan described the mother’s womb as a “primal sanctuary” for the unborn.

Capital Punishment:

Reflecting the Catholic Church’s evolving position and Pope Francis’ commitment to the global abolition of capital punishment, Prevost has voiced his opposition to the death penalty.

In a 2015 post on X (formerly Twitter), he simply stated, “It’s time to end the death penalty.”

Euthanasia:

In 2016, Prevost reposted an article from the Catholic News Agency detailing how citizens of Belgium, where euthanasia is legal, implored Canadians not to support legislation that would legalize assisted suicide.

The shared tweet included the hashtag “#Prolife” and highlighted arguments from Belgian doctors, lawyers, and family members who contended that assisted suicide poses a threat to vulnerable individuals and undermines the doctor-patient relationship.

Gun Rights:

Following a mass shooting in Las Vegas in October 2017, where a gunman killed 60 people, Prevost retweeted a call for new US gun control measures from Democratic Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut.