(NewsNation) — Pope Leo XIV offered an in-depth glance at his plans for the papacy, and while he wants the church to remain welcoming to all, he said he did not see any major changes to its practices or doctrines coming during his tenure.
On Thursday, Pope Leo XIV’s interview with Crux Senior Correspondent Elise Ann Allen was published in a biography titled “Leo XIV: Citizen of the World, Missionary of the XXI Century.” The book is currently available in Spanish but will be released in English and Portuguese editions in early 2026.
In the interview, the pope said the church should remain welcoming, but large changes aren’t on the horizon.
Welcoming the LGBTQ+ community
Pope Leo XIV said he embraces Pope Francis’ message of “todos, todos, todos,” or “all, all, all,” when it comes to welcoming the LGBTQ+ community.
“Everyone’s invited in, but I don’t invite a person in because they are or are not of any specific identity. I invite a person in because they are a son or daughter of God,” he said. “You’re all welcome, and let’s get to know one another and respect one another.”
But he said it is “unlikely” the church’s doctrines on the subject of sexuality will change in the near future.
“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 continued. “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.]”
The role of women in the Catholic church
Pope Leo XIV said he does not foresee granting the ordination of women but would like to see their role in the church continue to develop.
“I hope to continue in the footsteps of Francis, including in appointing women to some leadership roles at different levels in the Church’s life, recognizing the gifts that women have that can contribute to the life of the Church in many ways,” he said.
Addressing sex abuse scandals
Pope Leo XIV said the sexual abuse of minors in the church is “a real crisis.” Still, he said a quick resolution was unlikely because it would be “naive” to think a financial settlement would heal the damage the victims feel, and the church needs to investigate each claim.
“Statistics show that well over 90% of people who come forward and make accusations, they are authentically victims. They are telling the truth. They are not making this up,” he said. “But there have also been proven cases of some kind of false accusation. There have been priests whose lives have been destroyed because of that.”