OAN Staff Brooke Mallory
5:34 PM – Friday, May 16, 2025
Pope Leo XIV asserted on Friday that the family is rooted in the “stable union between a man and a woman,” while also emphasizing that both the unborn and the elderly possess inherent dignity as creations of God — following accusations that the new Pope is “just as liberal” as the previous one.
In doing so, he articulated unequivocal Catholic doctrine on marriage and the sanctity of life, in regard to abortion, at the outset of his pontificate.
In his inaugural meeting with the Vatican diplomacy, Pope Leo, the first American pontiff, advocated for the revitalization of multilateral diplomacy and the fostering of interreligious dialogue in pursuit of peace.
Although the audience was private, the Vatican made public both Leo’s prepared remarks and those of the dean of the diplomatic corps.
This encounter, a customary protocol following a conclave, provides the newly-elected pope an opportunity to address representatives of global governments ahead of his formal installation Mass — which is scheduled for this Sunday.
As a sovereign entity under international law, the Holy See maintains diplomatic relations with over 180 countries and holds observer status at the United Nations (UN).
Leo, a member of the Augustinian order, has made “peace” a priority of his pontificate since the first words he spoke on the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica, after his election on May 8th, saying: “Peace be with you all.”
In his speech, he stated that seeking peace was one of the papacy’s cornerstones. He also argued that peace is more than just the absence of violence — as it is a “gift” that necessitates effort, from putting an end to the “creation of weapons” to carefully selecting words.
“For words too, not only weapons, can wound and even kill.”
He also stated that governments must develop peaceful communities “above all by investing in the family, which is founded on the stable union between a man and a woman.”
“In addition, no one is exempted from striving to ensure respect for the dignity of every person, especially the most frail and vulnerable, from the unborn to the elderly, from the sick to the unemployed, citizens and immigrants alike,” the new Pope continued.
the now-deceased Pope Francis had previously reaffirmed the core Catholic teachings opposing abortion and euthanasia, denouncing them as manifestations of the contemporary “throwaway culture.” However, at the same time, he also made ongoing pastoral outreach to the LGBTQ+ community a defining feature of his pontificate, emphasizing their “inclusion within the Church.”
In addition, Francis did not alter Church doctrine in regard to the Church’s sacrament of matrimony, which continues to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman, while characterizing homosexual acts as “intrinsically disordered.”
In 2012, as head of the Augustinian order, the then-Rev. Robert Prevost, the new Pope of 2025, openly criticized what he termed the “homosexual lifestyle” and expressed concern over the media’s role in promoting acceptance of same-sex relationships in conflict with Catholic doctrine.
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