Pope Leo XIV Raps Exploitation of The Poor, Calls for Church Unity

Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope, condemned economic exploitation of the poor and called for unity within the Catholic Church during his inaugural Mass in St. Peter’s Square, attended by global leaders, royals, and tens of thousands of faithful, Christopher Lamb, Sophie Tanno, and Sharon Braithwaite reported for CNN.

Leo XIV said there is no room in the Church for “religious propaganda” or power struggles. I Photo: Vatican News

The 267th pontiff toured the square in the popemobile, greeted by cheers from the estimated 100,000 people gathered for the occasion. He was seen stopping to kiss a child during his ride.

In his homily—a speech signaling the new pope’s priorities—Leo XIV said there is no room in the Church for “religious propaganda” or power struggles.

His comments were widely seen as a call for healing rifts between reformists and conservatives that deepened under Pope Francis. He also decried a global economic system that “exploits the Earth’s resources and marginalizes the poorest.”