Pope Leo's critique of Trump ends honeymoon with conservative Catholics

Pope Leo XIV initially impressed conservative Catholics after his election in May as he embraced traditions shunned by his predecessor Pope Francis and steered clear of hot button social issues that divided the 1.4 billion-member Church.

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arriving for his inaugural papal mass at the Vatican in May. He has taken aim at US President Donald Trump's immigration policies, questioning whether they were in line with the Church's teachings.

(PHOTO: REUTERS)

But his honeymoon with conservatives appears over after he unexpectedly took aim at US President Donald Trump’s hard-line immigration policies, questioning whether they were in line with the Church’s pro-life teachings.

“Someone who says I am against abortion but I am in agreement with the inhuman treatment of immigrants in the United States, I don’t know if that’s pro-life,” Pope Leo, the first US pope, told reporters on Sept 30.

Some critics, who had praised the Pope for his early reserve, expressed shock that Pope Leo criticised the current champion of global conservatives.

Former Texas Bishop Joseph Strickland, a fierce Pope Francis critic, who was relieved from duty by the late Pope but has praised Pope Leo, criticised the new Pope on social media for causing “much confusion... regarding the sanctity of human life and the moral clarity of the Church’s teaching”.

“So tired of papal interviews. He should return to his previous silence,” opined the Rorate Caeli blog, which had previously criticised Pope Francis and praised Pope Leo.