What I Learned By Reading Pope Leo's Entire Twitter History
The Pope and I agree on a lot...but not everything
Robert Frances Prevost, now known as Pope Leo XIV, hails from Chicago, Illinois, my home city—one of the top 10 most diverse cities in the United States.
In a time of deep political division and escalating global crises, Pope Leo is emerging as a powerful advocate for justice, human rights, and moral clarity. His public stances on issues ranging from combatting gun violence, to protecting immigration rights, to abolishing the death penalty are reflections of his faith and bold assertions of humanity’s shared responsibility to uphold dignity and compassion for all people. However, and likewise, his staunch anti-abortion view is one of deep concern, given what we know about the harm abortion bans enact on women.
Here’s what I learned by reading Pope Leo’s entire Twitter history. Let’s Address This.
Upholding Justice and Opposing the Death Penalty
Pope Leo has made clear his staunch opposition to the death penalty. His tweet from March 5, 2015, simply stating, “It’s time to end the death penalty,” reflects his firm belief that state-sanctioned executions are not only morally indefensible but contrary to the essence of justice.
The Pope’s stance aligns with growing global recognition that capital punishment is a violation of human rights, disproportionately affecting marginalized communities, and often riddled with wrongful convictions. His call for abolition is a reminder that justice should be restorative, not retributive.
Defending the Vulnerable: Immigrants and Refugees
The Pope’s commitment to human rights extends deeply into his advocacy for immigrants and refugees.
His public denouncement of Donald Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric and his visible support for Syrian refugees speaks volumes. On January 27, 2017, he reposted the famous and heartbreaking image of a Syrian child, bloodied and battered, with the caption: “We’re banning all Syrian refugees? The men, women, and children who most need help? What an immoral nation we are becoming. Jesus weeps.”
His words call attention to the moral crisis of denying sanctuary to those fleeing war and persecution, echoing a core principle of faith: to welcome the stranger and protect the vulnerable. Pope Leo has likewise openly condemned the Trump administration’s child separation policy, and the caging of children.
In another repost, he called out the racist undertones of Trump’s policies, highlighting how terms like “bad hombres” fuel nativism and bigotry.
And most recently, he’s openly opposed the cruelty of JD Vance, as he demonizes immigrants with bizarre faith based justifications.
The Pope’s voice on these issues is not just compassionate—it is courageous, cutting through political noise to demand that America live up to its ideals of liberty and justice for all.
Combating Gun Violence and Demanding Action
Gun violence is a uniquely American epidemic, and Pope Leo has not shied away from calling out political inaction. His retweet of Senator Chris Murphy’s powerful statement after the Las Vegas shooting—“Your cowardice to act cannot be whitewashed by thoughts and prayers. None of this ends unless we do something to stop it.”—is a testament to his belief in action over rhetoric.
The Pope’s alignment with leaders who demand legislative action on gun control is a bold stance that underscores his commitment to safeguarding lives.
Racial Justice and Moral Leadership
On May 30, 2020, amidst nationwide protests for racial justice after police murdered George Floyd, Pope Leo tweeted, “Thank you! We need to hear more from leaders in the Church, to reject racism and seek justice.”
On the same day he elevated additional voices for racial justice. And these were not isolated tweets. I found tweets from years prior celebrating racial justice.
Back in 2014 Pope Leo celebrated the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. His call for moral leadership in the face of racial injustice highlights his understanding that silence is complicity.
Prevost’s consistent advocacy for racial equality and justice is a reminder that the fight for civil rights is far from over and requires voices of faith and moral clarity to lead the charge.
Climate Action as a Moral Imperative
Prevost’s environmental advocacy is equally strong. He publicly urged Donald Trump to read Laudato Si’, Pope Francis’ encyclical on climate change, calling for immediate action to protect the environment. His retweet from June 1, 2017, emphasized the urgency of combating climate change, aligning with global scientific consensus that protecting the planet is not just a political issue but a moral one.
He’s additionally recognized that religion and science are not enemies, and should be treated as such. Like his predecessor, the late Pope Francis, Pope Leo is continuing an important tradition of ensuring that those of faith also embrace science.
As the current anti-science administration dismantles critical regulations and departments, one can only hope that Pope Leo might influence someone in the Trump regime to reverse course and instead re-embrace science based policy.
Abortion Bans and Denial of Reproductive Rights
While Pope Leo is on the right, just, and moral side of many critical human rights issues, his stance on abortion and reproductive justice is deeply problematic, contrary to proven life saving measures, and harms the safety of women and children. Pope Leo has repeatedly called to defunded critical and life saving reproductive healthcare.
He has called to defund reproductive healthcare on the Federal level as well.
As is well documented, every global study done on abortion bans has proven that they do not actually save lives. Instead, they dramatically and painfully increase infant and maternal mortality. It is no accident that 9 of the top 10 states with the highest infant and maternal mortality are Red states that ban or restrict reproductive health access, while 9 of the top 10 states with the lowest rates of infant and maternal mortality are Blue states with accessible and affordable reproductive health access.
We must say it plainly—Pope Leo is on the wrong side of this matter of basic healthcare for women. I am hopeful he will listen to science and change his stance.
Where Does Pope Leo Stand on Palestine & Genocide?
Pope Francis was a champion of justice for Palestine, openly and repeatedly demanding a ceasefire. He famously called the Catholic Parish in Gaza nearly every night, praying for their safety and security. Pope Francis made no excuses for the U.S. funded and Netanyahu inflicted genocide on the Palestinian people.
However, I was unable to find any remarks by Pope Leo on this perpetual human rights atrocity. My hope is that he follows in the footsteps of his predecessor and loudly condemns this injustice. Reuters reports that “Gaza’s tiny Christian community told them that they were happy about the election of the new pope, adding they were also confident he would give importance to the war-ravaged enclave like Francis did.”
Conclusion
Pope Leo XIV’s bold stances on issues like racial justice, climate action, and ending the death penalty reveal a leader unafraid to challenge political powers in defense of human rights. His unwavering support for immigrants and refugees stands as a testament to his commitment to compassion and justice. However, his views on abortion and reproductive healthcare starkly contradict his otherwise progressive and compassionate advocacy, posing significant risks to women’s health and autonomy.
As the world watches his papacy unfold, the critical question remains: will Pope Leo XIV carry forward the legacy of moral courage his predecessor championed, especially when it comes to Palestine and the broader fight for global human rights?
The world is waiting—and watching.
I too hope Pope Leo will develop an understanding of the needs of the LGBTQ community to be accepted for who they are-human beings who deserve the same rights and respect as everyone else. Women’s safety is dependent on unfettered access to healthcare options when they are faced with miscarriage or pregnancy concerns. I pray that lay people (including the Pope) will come to accept that reproductive health decisions belong to women. Mortality rates will continue to climb for women suffering from incomplete miscarriages until politicians and theologians allow women to have the same control over their bodies as men have always had.
Thank you for this. I appreciate all you do to keep us informed.