Just because you may be the Pope, doesn’t mean you won’t get an earful from those who disagree with you. Not today, anyway.
The appointment of Chicago-born Pope Leo XIV was warmly embraced by Israel-friendly President Donald Trump despite his critiques of VP JD Vance and Trump policies.
In one article, Pope Leo condemned the Trump administration’s immigration policies, titling the piece: “JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others.”
On Wednesday, he made more waves by calling for a “ceasefire” in Gaza while denouncing the “unacceptable conditions” for Palestinians.
“…throughout human history, every person always has an inviolable dignity to be respected and upheld,” his post continued. “I renew my appeal for a ceasefire, the release of hostages, and a negotiated diplomatic solution, in full respect of international humanitarian law. I invite everyone to join my heartfelt prayer that a dawn of peace and justice may soon arise.”
I express my profound closeness to the Palestinian people in Gaza, who continue to live in fear and to survive in unacceptable conditions, forced once again from their own lands. Before Almighty God, who commanded “Thou shalt not kill,” and throughout human history, every person…
— Pope Leo XIV (@Pontifex) September 17, 2025
Pope Leo XIV found plenty of support for his declaration, as can be seen by the 131,000 likes on his post. But, he also received plenty of heated backlash that can be viewed below:
Did you also pray for Hamas to release the hostages because that’s why all this happened
— Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) September 17, 2025
Pope Bob needs to study Hebrew. The word you’re referencing isn’t ‘kill,’ it’s ‘murder.’ Defending your country isn’t murder. Israel has a right to defend itself. Hamas started this when they invaded Israel last October.
— ℂ ️ (@sola_chad) September 17, 2025
I’m sorry if this is news to Your Holiness but the verb לרצוח that appears in the Commandments means ‘to murder’. The verb ‘to kill’ is להרוג.
THOU SHALT NOT COMMIT MURDER.
The IDF does not murder. It exists to prevent murder.
— David Deutsch (@DavidDeutschOxf) September 17, 2025
As far as the “thou shalt not kill”, where do you stand on Christians being slaughtered in: Burkina
Faso
Cameroon
CAR
Congo
Egypt
Ethiopia
India
Iran
Iraq
Lybia
Myanmar
Niger
Nigeria
Somalia
Sudan
Syria
Yemen etc………— Crazy Mom (@ThnKMyMmsGnCrzy) September 17, 2025
Holy Father,
When will you Condemn Islamic Violence which caused the War in Gaza?
When will you see the Truth that the Sin of the Homosexual Culture which has developed into a Heresy has taken control of the Hierarchy of the Catholic Church?
How can God answer prayers from…
— The Conservative Catholic Journal (@thepathistruth) September 17, 2025
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