Pope Leo XIV gave his first interview since being elected head of the Catholic Church in May. It was published on the Catholic website 18 September and was conducted by a journalist who is preparing a book about him.
From the moment he took office, the pope stressed that he would focus on several key themes, including social justice and the fight against poverty. He recalled that he had previously been a missionary in Peru, where he saw firsthand the problems of the underprivileged.
In the interview, the pope drew attention to the ‘horrible and absurd’ social divide in modern society. He pointed out that about 60 years ago, the income gap between CEOs and their employees was between 4 and 6 times. Today, however, this gap has grown to 600 times.
As an example of this inequality, the Pope mentioned billionaire Elon Musk, who is predicted to soon become the world’s first trillionaire. “If this is the most important thing and if this is the meaning of life, then humanity is in great trouble,” warns Leo XIV.
While acknowledging that many wealthy people support worthy causes through donations, the Pope believes that the scale of social inequality is “abnormal and unnatural.” If it continues to grow, he says, it will lead to protests and riots around the world.
The Holy Father expressed hope for a quick end to the war in Ukraine. He also criticized the United Nations, saying that it has lost its ability to fulfill its original mission of uniting people.
