In his new book, Let Us Dream: The Path to a Better Future, Pope Francis shares his views on current events including the coronavirus and racial injustice. He is adamant about his view of COVID-19, criticizing those who blame foreigners for this virus and berating those who refuse to follow guidelines. This comes just after religious institutions in New York, New Jersey, and others around the country attempted to sue their states arguing that coronavirus restrictions kept them from practicing their religions. 

Relating to Black Lives Matter and racial issues, the Pope expresses that Catholics who do not join these movements give “a bad example, losing the sense of solidarity and fraternity with the rest of their brothers and sisters.” The pope agrees with ending police brutality, calling George Floyd’s murder “horrendous” but disagrees with the removal of statues arguing that it would “purify the past.” He remarked, “Some wanted to project onto the past the history they would like to have now, which requires them to cancel what came before… For there to be true history, there must be the memory, which demands that we acknowledge the paths already trod, even if they are shameful.”  

 Unlike other popes, in his book, he avoids speaking about church doctrine and theology, instead of sharing more personal stories in hopes of resonating with a wider audience. He also expresses his opinions on world events, not holding back on criticizing governments’ coronavirus responses as he believes that prioritizing protecting the economy over protecting people is a grave mistake. Pope Francis specifically addresses anti-maskers as well, stating, “Some of the protests during the coronavirus have brought to the fore an angry spirit of victimhood…among people who are victims only in their imagination.

 Even with all of his criticisms, Pope Francis still has a positive outlook on some world leaders and their responses to the coronavirus, the majority of whom are women. He voices, “The countries with women as presidents or prime ministers have on the whole reacted better and more quickly than others…making decisions swiftly and communicating them with empathy.” Even with this compliment, Pope Francis stops short of saying that women are capable of being priests since Catholicism, like many other branches of Abrahamic religions, believes that women are not qualified to be leaders of religious services. 

Pope Francis has been very outspoken on his views lately, hoping to guide Catholics and those who follow him in what he deems the right direction. By offering his opinions on worldwide issues and American politics, he is trying to sway others’ opinions and help people make up their minds as he believes that decisiveness is the way to move forward. While some may feel that the Pope is overstepping, he is trying to do what he feels is best for the world and since 1.2 billion people worldwide identify as Catholics, his opinions hold a lot of weight.