Pope Leo shares message to Catholics after criticizing Donald Trump’s anti-immigration policies

Pope Leo has heralded a 'new missionary age' - and his message is very much at odds with Donald Trump's anti-immigration rhetoric.

Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was elected as the 267th pontiff and took on the role of head of the Catholic Church back in May after the death of Pope Francis.

The Pope made headlines for being the first North American to be elected to the role, and has spoken openly about a wide range of issues across the world right now, including climate change, the war in Ukraine and the situation in Gaza.

Pope Leo has also been critical of President Trump's hard stance on immigration, and urged the world's 1.4 billion to Catholics to care for immigrants.

Speaking to thousands of pilgrims celebrating Mass in St. Peter’s Square over the weekend, the Pope stated that immigrants should not be treated with 'the coldness of indifference or the stigma of discrimination'.

The Pope has been speaking in St. Peter’s Square over the weekend (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

He called on Catholics to 'open our arms and hearts to them, welcoming them as brothers and sisters, and being for them a presence of consolation and hope'.

On Sunday (October 5), Pope Leo said the Church was experiencing 'a new missionary age', in which everyone must come together to 'welcome' migrants who have fled countries filled with violence.

"In the communities of ancient Christian tradition, such as those of the West, the presence of many brothers and sisters from the world’s South should be welcomed as an opportunity, through an exchange that renews the face of the Church," he added.

Just last week, the Pope condemned Trump's immigration policies with a brutal statement, taking particular aim at pro-life Republicans.

Trump's stance on immigration has been slammed by the Pope (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

"Someone who says 'I am against abortion but I am in agreement with the inhuman treatment of immigrants in the United States', I don't know if that's pro-life," Pope Leo told reporters on September 30.

The Pope in the same interview hit out at those who agree with the death penalty - something Trump is pushing for across the US.

"Someone who says 'I'm against abortion' but is in favour of the death penalty is not really pro-life," the leader of the Catholic Church said.

The president brought in the death penalty in Washington D.C, as part of his crackdown on crime in the capital to 'deter and punish the most heinous crimes in our Nation’s capital'.

"Capital punishment, capital city," the president said as he signed the proclamation in front of reporters in the White House.