U.S. President Donald Trump’s remarks against Pope Leo XIV were “deeply saddening,” a Catholic archbishop said.
Archbishop Alberto Uy of Cebu said the pope does not engage in political competition but instead calls attention to moral truths, particularly in times of conflict and injustice.
“May we have the humility to listen—not only to the voices of authority, but to the voice of conscience. And may that conscience lead us always toward peace,” Uy said.
The archbishop said papal statements often challenge actions that lead to suffering, injustice and war, especially those affecting the poor and vulnerable.
“For every war, every act of violence, every unjust decision always has a face—the face of a child who cries, a mother who mourns, a family that is broken. This is what the Holy Father sees. This is what moves his heart,” Uy said.
From both philosophical and theological perspectives, he said truth is not shaped by power or popularity but grounded in moral law and human conscience.
He emphasized that Christian teaching holds that every person is created in God’s image, making any assault on human dignity a grave moral concern.
“To wound human dignity—through war, injustice, or indifference—is to wound something sacred,” Uy said. “The pope, therefore, speaks not merely as a leader of the Church, but as a voice of conscience for the world.”
“His mission is not to please, but to guide; not to dominate, but to serve; not to remain silent, but to proclaim what is good, what is just, and what leads to true peace,” he added.
He urged the public to listen not only to political authority but also to conscience, calling for humility and renewed commitment to building a more compassionate world.
Trump lashed out at the pontiff in a Truth Social post Sunday, accusing him of being “weak on crime” and “terrible for foreign policy,” after the pope expressed concern about the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.
The remarks drew backlash from church leaders and many Catholics, amid declining support for the president, according to recent polls.
An artificial intelligence-generated image of Trump also drew criticism. The image showed him wearing a white robe and red stole, placing his hand on the forehead of a man in a hospital bed.
Trump confirmed posting the image but said he believed it depicted him as a doctor, not Jesus healing the sick. The post was later deleted.
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