The Brief

Pope Leo XIV has already made history, as the first-ever American-born pope to lead the Roman Catholic Church. But how might he shape the institution?

Robert Francis Prevost was elected on Thursday after a two-day conclave to succeed the late Pope Francis — a progressive pontiff who was known for his commitment to social justice.

While Pope Leo is considered a centrist, he shares some of his predecessor's views, including those about the environment and outreach to migrants.

Leo is also notable for being the first Augustinian friar to lead the church. The Order of St. Augustine, which dates back to 1244, says it has some 2,800 members throughout 47 countries. Its three core values are "truth, unity and love."

"And so, Leo XIV has been formed on those foundational values," the Rev. Robert Hagan, prior provincial of the Province of St. Thomas of Villanova, told NPR. "Francis spoke a lot about synodality, to listen. I think Pope Leo XIV is someone who is also willing to listen to the voices on the margins."

Leo's public comments and social media presence dating back years help paint a picture of his stances on certain issues.

At a 2023 Vatican news conference, for example, he said, "Our work is to enlarge the tent and to let everyone know they are welcome inside the church." In an interview the following year, he echoed Francis' view that a bishop is "called to serve."

"The bishop is not supposed to be a little prince sitting in his kingdom, but rather called authentically to be humble, to be close to the people he serves, to walk with them, to suffer with them and to look for ways that he can better live the Gospel message in the midst of his people," the then-cardinal told Vatican News in 2024.

• Read more:
  
  • Angelenos react to election of first pope from the US: 'It is shocking'

Here's what Pope Leo has said in the past about a number of issues, from LGBTQ+ Catholics to climate change — though it's not clear whether his views have changed since or whether they are clear indicators of how he will guide the world's billion-plus Catholic faithful.

Equality for women

Like his predecessor, Leo opposes the idea of ordaining female deacons. That's in keeping with thousands of years of Catholic understanding, as he told journalists at a 2023 conference.

"Something that needs to be said also is that ordaining women — and there's been some women that have said this interestingly enough — 'clericalizing women' doesn't necessarily solve a problem, it might make a new problem," he said.

At the same time, he touted Francis' efforts to increase women's participation and visibility in the Vatican, such as by appointing several women to prominent leadership roles. In fact, Francis tasked the now-pope with overseeing one of his most revolutionary reforms: adding three women to the office that vets bishop nominations, in 2022.

"I think there will be a continuing recognition of the fact that women can add a great deal to the life of the church on many different levels," Leo added.

LGBTQ+ Catholics

While Francis was known for his efforts to make the church more open to members of the LGBTQ+ community — famously asking, "Who am I to judge?" — Leo may not follow in his footsteps.

In a 2012 address, Leo expressed concern that Western culture promotes "enormous sympathy for beliefs and practices that are at odds with the Gospel," specifically referencing abortion, the "homosexual lifestyle" and "alternative families comprised of same-sex partners and their adopted children."

Leo's views on the Vatican's 2023 document "Fiducia Supplicans" — which permits nonliturgical blessings for same-sex couples, among others — are also ambiguous. He did not wholly endorse or reject the document, instead emphasizing the need for national bishops conferences to have the authority to interpret such guidance within their local cultural context.

During his eight-year tenure as a bishop in the Peruvian city of Chiclayo, he opposed a government plan to add teachings on gender in schools.

"The idea of promoting gender ideology is confusing because it seeks to create genders that don't exist. So God created man and woman, and the attempt to confuse ideas from nature will only harm families and people," he told the Peruvian newspaper Diario Correo.

He went on to say that people should "respect the dignity of each person, including the options that adult persons may have."

"To talk about matters of identity and sexual orientation with a child who hasn't yet reached a sufficient age of development will create much confusion," he added.

Climate change 

Leo — like his predecessor — has been outspoken about the need to confront climate change. In 2024 remarks, he called for the church to move "from words to action."

The then-cardinal cautioned against the "harmful" effects of technological development and reaffirmed the Vatican's commitments to protecting the environment, pointing to Pope Francis' installation of solar panels and shift to electric vehicles as examples.

Leo said humanity's "dominion over nature" should not be "tyrannical," but rather a "relationship of reciprocity" with the environment.

Migrants

Leo spent most of his career in Peru and holds dual citizenship there.

Jesus Leon Angeles, the coordinator of a Catholic group in Chiclayo who has known the now-pope since 2018, told Reuters that he showed special concern for Venezuelan migrants in Peru.

"He is a person who likes to help," he said.

The U.N. refugee agency says over 1.5 million forcibly displaced Venezuelans are living in Peru, making it one of the largest host countries for refugees fleeing the humanitarian and economic crisis there.

Pope Francis advocated vocally for the rights of migrants and refugees, often reminding people that he was a descendant of immigrants himself. He publicly criticized the Trump administration's crackdown on immigration over the years, most recently calling its mass deportation plan "a major crisis" in a February letter to U.S. Catholic bishops.

U.S. politics 

Leo, who is from Chicago, voted in Republican primary elections in 2012, 2014 and 2016, and most recently in the 2024 general election, according to voting records obtained by Politico. Illinois voters don't register as members of a political party, so he is listed as "undeclared" and it is not clear for whom he voted.

Occasional tweets and retweets on Leo's X account may hold more clues to his political views.

His most recent retweet was critical of the Trump administration's partnership with El Salvador to deport immigrants without legal status, quoting a bishop who asked, "Is your conscience not disturbed? How can you stay quiet?"

In February, he posted links to two op-eds disagreeing with Vice President Vance's February comments on the Christian hierarchy of love, which were widely criticized, including by Pope Francis. One of Leo's tweets repeated the headline: "JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn't ask us to rank our love for others."

Leo has also shared messages opposing the death penalty, supporting vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic and retweeting prayers for George Floyd after he was murdered by a police officer in 2020.

"We need to hear more from leaders in the Church, to reject racism and seek justice," he tweeted at the time.

Online sleuths have dug up older tweets on his feed that criticize the first Trump administration, including its family separation policy, efforts to repeal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Trump's "bad hombres" rhetoric.

Some right-wing figures in U.S. media were quick to criticize the new pope as his social media posts emerged, with Trump ally Laura Loomer calling him "WOKE MARXIST POPE." Trump himself congratulated Leo on Thursday.

"It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope," the president wrote on Truth Social. "What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!"
Copyright 2025 NPR

This story first appeared on The LA Local.

Since 1977, Richard Santillan has been to every Opening Day game at Dodger Stadium. 

“The tradition goes from my father, to me, to my children and grandchildren. Some of my best memories are with my father and children here at Dodger Stadium,” Santillan told The LA Local, smiling under the shade of palm trees near the entrance to the ballpark Wednesday morning. He was there to protest the team less than 24 hours before Opening Day.

Santillan, like countless other loyal Dodgers fans, is grappling with his fan identity over the team’s decision to accept an invitation to the White House and owner Mark Walter’s ties to ICE detention facilities.

More than 30 people joined Santillan on Wednesday morning for a press conference held near 1000 Vin Scully Drive to convey a message directly to the team. 

“We are demanding the Dodgers stop participating in funding of inhumane treatment of families and do not go to the White House to celebrate with the criminal in chief,” Evelyn Escatiola told the crowd. “Together, we have the power to make a change.”

Escatiola, a former dean of East Los Angeles College and longtime community organizer, urged fans to flex their economic power by “letting the Dodgers know that we do not support repression.”

Jorge “Coqui” Rodriguez, a lifelong Dodgers fan, spoke to the crowd and called on Dodgers ownership to divest from immigration detention centers owned and operated by GEO Group and CoreCivic.

Jorge Coqui H Rodriguez speaks at a press conference outside Dodger Stadium on March 25, 2026, to demand the Dodgers not to visit the White House following their 2025 World Series win.

(

J.W. Hendricks

/

The LA Local

)

In a phone interview a day before the protest, Rodriguez told The LA Local he did not want the Dodgers using his “cheve” or beer money to fund detention centers. 

“They can’t take our parking money, our cacahuate money, our cheve money, our Dodger Dog money and invest those funds into corporations that are imprisoning people. It’s wrong,” Rodriguez said. 

Rodriguez considers the Dodgers one of the most racially diverse teams and said the players need to support fans at a time when heightened immigration enforcement has become more common across L.A.

The team’s 2025’s visit to the White House drew ire from the largely Latino fan base, citing the Trump administration’s ongoing attacks on immigrants. 

In June, the team came under further scrutiny when rumors swirled online that federal immigration agents were using the stadium’s parking, which immigration authorities later denied in statements posted on social media accounts.

The team again came under fire after not releasing a statement on the impacts of ICE raids on its mostly Latino fan base at the height of immigration enforcement last summer. The team later agreed to invest $1 million to support families affected by immigration enforcement.

When he learned the Dodgers were pledging only $1 million to families in need, Rodriguez called the amount a  “slap in the face.” 

“These guys just bought the Lakers for billions of dollars and they give a million dollars to fight for legal services? That’s a joke,” Rodriguez said. “They need to have a moral backbone and not be investing in those companies.”

According to reporting from the Los Angeles Times, former Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershawsaid last week that he is looking forward to the trip.

“I went when President [Joe] Biden was in office. I’m going to go when President [Donald] Trump is in office,” Kershaw said. “To me, it’s just about getting to go to the White House. You don’t get that opportunity every day, so I’m excited to go.”

The Dodgers have yet to announce when their planned visit will take place. 

Santillan sometimes laments his decision to give up his season tickets in protest of the team. His connection to the stadium and the memories he has made there with family and friends will last a lifetime, he said. On Thursday, he will uphold his tradition and be there for the first pitch of the season, but with a heavy heart.

“It’s a family tradition, but the Dodgers have a lot of work to do,” he said.

A local favorite mom-and-pop bookshop in Eagle Rock is facing displacement due to a steep rent hike. The owners say theirs is just one of several small businesses along Eagle Rock Boulevard struggling to keep up with lease increases.

Over the past 19 years, many in the neighborhood have come to love READ Books for its eclectic collection of used titles and shop dog Florence.

Co-owner Jeremy Kaplan said it’s been a delight to grow with the community over the years.

“Like seeing kids come back in, who were in grade school and now they’re in college,” Kaplan said.

But the building where Kaplan and wife Debbie rent was recently sold, and the rent increased by more than 130% to $2,805 a month, Kaplan said. He told LAist it was an increase his small business simply could not absorb.

Kaplan said he originally was given 30 days notice of the rent increase. After some research, assistance from Councilmember Ysabel Jurado’s office and some pro-bono legal help, Kaplan said he pushed back and got the 90-day notice he’s afforded by state law.

California Senate Bill 1103 requires landlords to give businesses with five or less employees 90 days’ notice for rent increases exceeding 10%, among other protections.

Systems Real Estate, the property management company, did not immediately respond to LAist’s request for comment.

What can small businesses do? 

Nadia Segura, directing attorney of the Small Business Program at pro bono legal aid non-profit Bet Tzedek said California law does not currently allow for rent control for commercial tenancies.

Outside of the protections under SB 1103, Segura said small businesses like READ Books don’t have much other recourse. And even then, commercial landlords are not required to inform their tenants of their protections under the law.

“There’s still a lot of people that don’t know about SB 1103. And then it’s very sad that they tell them they have these rent increases and within a month they have to leave,” Segura said.

She said her group is seeing steep rent hikes like this for commercial tenants across the city.

“We are seeing this even more with the World Cup coming up, the Olympics coming up. And I will say it was very sad to see that also after the wildfires,” Segura said.

Part of Bet Tzedek’s ongoing work is to advocate for small businesses, working with landlords who are increasing rents to see if they are willing to give business owners longer leases that lock in rents.

What’s next 

After READ Books posted about their situation on social media, commenters chimed in to express their outrage and love for the little shop.

While he looks for a new spot, Kaplan says he’s forming a coalition of local businesses and activist groups to see what can be done to help other small businesses facing similar displacement. He wants to address the displacement issue for businesses like his, which have made Eagle Rock the distinctive neighborhood that it is today.

Owl Talk, a longtime Eagle Rock staple selling clothing and accessories in a unit in the same building as READ Books, is facing a “more than double” rent increase, according to a post on their Instagram account.

Kaplan said he’s been in touch with the office of state Assemblywoman Jessica Caloza and wants to explore the possibility of introducing legislation to set up protections for small businesses like his, including rent-control measures or a vacancy tax for landlords. Kaplan said he also reached out to the office of state Sen. Maria Durazo.

By his count, Kaplan said there are about a dozen businesses within surrounding blocks that are at risk of closing their doors or have shuttered due to rent increases or other struggles.

When READ Books was founded during the Great Recession, Kaplan said he knew it was a longshot to open a bookstore at the same time so many were struggling to stay in business.

“It was kind of interesting to be doing something that neighborhoods needed. That was important to me growing up, that was important to my children, that was important to my wife growing up,” Kaplan said.

“And then somebody comes in and says, ‘We’re gonna over double your rent.”

Topline:

Frozen budget: Most of the city’s Bureau of Street Lighting budget comes from an assessment that people who own property illuminated by lights pay on their county property tax bill. The amount people pay depends on the kind of property they own and how much they benefit from lighting. A typical single-family home currently pays $53 annually, and in total, the assessments bring in about $45 million annually for the city to repair and maintain streetlights. Changing the amount the Bureau of Street Lighting gets from the assessment requires a vote among property owners who benefit from the lights.

Ballots: L.A. City Council’s vote gives city staff the green light to prepare and send out those ballots. Miguel Sangalang, who oversees the bureau, said at a committee meeting earlier this month that he expects to send out ballots by April 17. Notices about the ballots will be sent out prior to the ballots themselves.

Near unanimous vote: L.A. City Councilmember Monica Rodriguez was the only “No” vote Tuesday, saying she wanted to see a more current strategic plan for the bureau. Sangalang said the bureau developed a plan in 2022 that lays out how money will be spent. Councilmember Imelda Padilla was absent for the vote.

Vote count: Votes will be weighted according to the assessment amount. Basically, the more you’re asked to pay yearly to maintain streetlights, the more your vote will count. Ballots received before June 2 will be tabulated by the L.A. City Clerk.

How much more money: According to a report, the amount needed in assessments from property owners to meet the repair and maintenance needs of the city’s streetlighting in the next fiscal year is nearly $112 million.

Use of the money: Sangalang said at a March 11 committee meeting that the extra funds would be used to double the number of staff to handle repairs and procure solar streetlights, which don’t face the threat of copper wire theft. That would all potentially reduce the time it takes to repair simple fixes down to a week. Currently, city residents wait for months to see broken streetlights repaired. The assessment would come with a three-year auditing mechanism.