VATICAN CITY – In his first interview as leader of the Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV talked about his concerns about income inequality, polarization and the need for peace.

“We have to continue to remind ourselves of the potential that humanity has to overcome the violence and the hatred that is just dividing us more and more,” Leo said in the interview. “We live in times when polarization seems to be one of the words of the day, but it’s not helping anybody. Or if it’s helping anyone, it’s very few when everyone else is suffering.”

The interview, conducted over two sessions in recent weeks and published by the Catholic news site Crux on the his 70 th birthday, offer a first glimpse into Leo’s personality and priorities.

In his conversation with Crux’s senior Vatican correspondent, El

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