Religion isn’t a popularity contest, and Pope Leo XIV’s job is to uphold the tenets of the church that serve as the foundation for all its other work.
Pope Leo’s impact on American politics
Even before becoming the first American pope, Leo XIV was not shy about criticizing some of the Trump administration’s policies.
In the week since Pope Leo XIV made his first appearance in Rome, I have come across countless speculation in the media about his stances on the key social issues of our time.
Sure, he’s the new leader of 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide, so his role and his opinions are of wide interest.
What stands out to me, though, is how much of this theorizing holds the breathless possibility – and hope – that maybe the pope won’t believe in Catholic things.
Whether on gender identity, abortion or same-sex marriage, there’s a palpable eagerness to find out what Pope Leo means for the future of the church.
“In the eyes of many LGBTQ Catholics, the late Pope Francis created a ‘seismic shift’ toward acceptance,” NBC reported, for example. “Now, as the world welcomes the newly elected Pope Leo XIV, these lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer faithful say they hope he will continue to move in the same direction.”
This isn’t a new phenomenon. Pope Francis sparked similar headlines throughout his tenure.
I’m not a Catholic. Nor am I a theologian by any means. But it strikes me as strange that our society strives to mold the church in its image – centuries of tradition and deeply held beliefs be damned.
The pope isn’t alone in the hot seat. Remember what happened to Harrison Butker?
All the discussion surrounding the new pope made me think about the uproar Harrison Butker created in May 2024, with his commencement speech heard round the world.
Butker, the kicker for the Kansas City Chiefs and self-professed “faithful Catholic,” sparked outrage and horror among the public at large for saying Catholic things to the graduating class at Benedictine College, which is Catholic.
He upheld the value of women who prioritize marriage and children over a career, and he also made critical comments about Pride Month and IVF.
And for that, Butker’s speech was labeled as “divisive” and “controversial.” Many demanded he recant his offending views.
To his credit, Butker stayed true to his beliefs and didn’t bow to the backlash.
“I said what I said,” Butker said earlier this year. “I believe in it. I don’t feel the need to apologize for anything.”
As culture moves to the left, the Catholic Church stands for its principles. That’s a good thing.
I’m guessing if a 29-year-old football player can hold firm to his faith, the pope can, too.
Leo’s old speeches and comments have been dug up and scrutinized, but it seems he won’t be eager to make major shifts – no matter how some may hope for it.
For instance, in a 2012 speech, he spoke about the “enormous sympathy for beliefs and practices that are at odds with the Gospel” within Western culture, mentioning abortion, homosexuality and same-sex marriage and families.
And when he served as a bishop in Peru, he told the local newspaper that “the idea of promoting gender ideology is confusing because it seeks to create genders that don’t exist” and that “God created man and woman, and the attempt to confuse ideas from nature will only harm families and people.”
As I’m sure Pope Leo is well aware, surveys in recent years have shown a move to the left among many Catholics on some of these key cultural issues, including abortion, contraception and marriage.
Yet, religion isn’t a popularity contest, and his job is to uphold the tenets of the church that serve as the foundation for all its other work.
That kind of constancy in an ever-changing world is a beautiful thing.
Ingrid Jacques is a columnist at USA TODAY. Contact her at ijacques@usatoday.com or on X: @Ingrid_Jacques