Rumor – Pope Leo XIV (Robert Prevost) allegedly said that communism disguises itself as solidarity at a conference of Hispanic-American bishops in 2010.
Analysis
A phrase allegedly spoken by Robert Prevost, current Pope Leo XIV, at a conference of Hispanic-American bishops in 2010 is circulating on social media. The text attributes to him the statement that communism infiltrated Christian circles disguised as solidarity.
According to the post, the then religious figure would have called on Catholic leaders to fight such an ideology. The viral content has been shared by conservative profiles on social media, usually accompanied by criticism of social movements linked to the Church. Read:
“Communism has even penetrated Christian circles disguised as solidarity. It is our pastoral duty to expose it.” Robert Prevost (Pope Leo XIV), Conference for Hispanic-American bishops (May 14, 2010)
Fact-check
The image of papal authority is used as a moral seal to delegitimize popular causes. But there is a detail: Pope Leo XIV never said that. To verify the truth of the quote, we will answer three questions: 1) Did Pope Leo XIV say that communism disguises itself as solidarity in 2010? 2) Was there any conference for Hispanic-American bishops attended by Robert Prevost that year? 3) Is there a history of other false quotes attributed to him?
Did Pope Leo XIV say that communism disguises itself as solidarity in 2010?
No. There is no reliable record that Robert Prevost made this statement in 2010 — neither that year nor at any other time before becoming Pope Leo XIV.
At the time, Prevost did not hold an episcopal position and had no prominence in international events. He was the provincial prior of the Augustinian Province “Mother of Good Counsel” in Chicago, as recorded in his official biography on Vatican News.
There is also no mention of the quote in official Church channels or speech databases. The complete absence of reliable sources indicates the quote was fabricated and never uttered by Robert Prevost.
Was there any conference for Hispanic-American bishops attended by Robert Prevost in 2010?
No. Research shows no relevant international event for Hispanic-American bishops in May 2010 with the presence of Robert Prevost. That year, as mentioned, he was carrying out his pastoral mission in Chicago, USA, with no involvement in international episcopal events.
There is not even a citation of a conference with that name in the Vatican archive. The event’s nonexistence invalidates the context presented in the rumor, reinforcing its false nature.
Are there other fake news items with false quotes attributed to Pope Leo XIV?
Yes. With Robert Prevost’s rise to the papacy as Leo XIV, several false pieces of content have emerged using his name. He has already been falsely quoted commenting on Michelle Bolsonaro, Nikolas Ferreira, and even a supposed episode where he rejected Harvard in 1975.
There are also claims that the Pope gave a “special mission to Cardinal Robert Sarah”. All these cases have been debunked, as compiled in this list of fake news involving Leo XIV.
Conclusion
The content circulating with a quote from Robert Prevost about communism and Christianity is false. In 2010, he was not a bishop, did not attend any international episcopal conference, and the quote attributed to him is completely fabricated. It is another attempt to instrumentalize the figure of Pope Leo XIV for political and ideological purposes on social media.
Fake news ❌
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