Pope Leo IV – My priority is the Gospel, not solving the World’s problem.

Oct 2025 : Pope Leo XIV said his primary role as leader of the Church is confirming Catholics in their faith and sharing the Gospel with the world, not resolving global crises. The Holy Father also said he was “trying not to continue to polarize or promote polarization in the Church”.

Pope Leo’s first formal interview as Pope took place as part of the biography “Leo XIV: Citizen of the World, Missionary of the 21st Century”, by Allen, out now in Spanish and next year in English.

“I don’t see my primary role as trying to be the solver of the world’s problems. I don’t see my role as that at all, really, although I think that the Church has a voice, a message that needs to continue to be preached, to be spoken and spoken loudly”, he said. In the extensive interview, the first U.S. born pontiff explained how he plans to tackle divisive issues in the Church, including his approach to LGBT debates, the possibility of women deacons, synodality, and the Traditional Latin Mass.

Leo said he is aware that the Church’s teaching on sexual morality is a highly polarising topic, and though he welcomes everyone in the Church, he does not intend to make changes, at least not anytime soon. Signaling his intention to be in continuity with Francis’ open approach, he said “everyone’s invited in, but I don’t invite a person in because they are or are not of any specific identity. People want the Church doctrine to change, want attitudes to change. I think we have to change attitudes before we even think about changing what the Church says about any given question”, he said.

The Holy Father has further asserted, “I find it highly unlikely, certainly in the near future, that the Church’s doctrine in terms of what the Church teaches about sexuality, what the Church teaches about marriage, will change. I’ve already spoken about marriage, as did Pope Francis when he was pope, about a family being a man and a woman in solemn commitment, blessed in the sacrament of marriage”.

But this time, the narratives of Pope Leo IV has found to been criticised by none other than the Grammy Award-winning pop singer Madonna. She has voiced her concern that, “The whole point of teaching and learning the gospel is to inspire people to love one another and make the world a better place. Not just with words but with actions, which is exactly what Jesus did. I am truly disappointed by this”. This is not the first time Madonna has criticised or called out the Pope. Earlier, in 2022, she requested a meeting with Pope Francis. In August of 2025, Madonna publicly requested that Pope Leo visit Gaza.

Although been raised Catholic and attended Catholic school, Madonna does not currently affiliate herself with the faith. She has been vehemently criticised over the years multiple times, blaspheming Catholicism in her music and art.

This time Madonna’s criticism got a befitting reply from Jordan Burke, a Catholic Instagram Influencer, who outrightly lambasted the music icon, stating, “The core of Madonna’s message is this: ‘Actions matter more than words, even more than the words of Jesus himself, which is the gospel. Imagine a gospel where there was no preaching of the truth, just miracles. Where there was no call to conversion, just a guy going around doing nice things because he wanted to. If that were the case, why would he be crucified? The narrative doesn’t fit. Jesus wasn’t crucified because he was nice. He was crucified for calling us all to conversion, for showing us how to truly love as he loved, with purpose and intention, rightly ordered and driven by ultimate truth, the same truth that caused him to hang from the cross. Actions matter, yes. But the intention behind the action is even more important. The world doesn’t just need more kind actions. It needs conversion. And that comes by hearing the Word first, and living it out second – Just like Jesus did. Not one or the other”.

Team Maverick