‘Man and a woman’: Newly-elected Pope Leo XIV shares thoughts on gay marriage, abortion
The newly elected Pope has shared his stance on same-sex marriage and described abortion and euthanasia as a product of today’s “throwaway culture”.
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The newly elected Pope, American Robert Prevost, has shared his stance on same-sex marriage and described abortion and euthanasia as a product of today’s “throwaway culture” in new remarks.
Now known as Pope Leo XIV, the 69-year-old was appointed on May 8 as successor to Pope Francis, becoming the first US-born head of the Catholic Church.
In his first meeting with the Vatican diplomatic corps at St Peter’s Basilica, the pontiff stuck close to the traditional stances of the church, affirming that the family is founded on the “stable union between a man and a woman”.
Though the audience with the world government representatives was private, the Vatican released Leo’s prepared text, which has been reported by The Associated Press.
During the meeting, which takes place ahead of his formal installation Mass this weekend, Leo stressed it was up to governments to build peaceful societies “above all by investing in the family, founded upon the stable union between a man and a woman”.
MORE: ‘Outrageous’ Pope move slammed in US
Though he said LGBTQ+ Catholics were welcome, homosexual acts remain “intrinsically disordered” according to church doctrine.
Regarding abortion, the Pope said that the unborn and elderly enjoy dignity as God’s creatures, per The Associated Press.
In the wake of his election, past comments Leo had made in 2012 about what he called the “homosexual lifestyle” resurfaced, in which he criticised mainstream media for promoting acceptance of same-sex relationships that went against Catholic doctrine.
“Western mass media is extraordinarily effective in fostering within the general public enormous sympathy for beliefs and practices that are at odds with the gospel, for example abortion, homosexual lifestyle, euthanasia,” he said in an address to the world Synod of Bishops.
He added that “alternative families comprised of same-sex partners and their adopted children are so benignly and sympathetically portrayed in television programs and cinema today”.
The comments were “disappointing”, Francis DeBernado, a member of America’s New Ways Ministry, which advocates for greater inclusion of LGBTQ+ people in the Catholic Church, said.
“We pray that in the 13 years that have passed, 12 of which were under the papacy of Pope Francis, that (Leo’s) heart and mind have developed more progressively on LGBTQ+ issues, and we will take a wait-and-see attitude to see if that has happened,” Mr DeBernado said in a statement.
American advocacy group GLAAD urged Leo to “build on the progress” made by his predecessor.
“The Roman Catholic Church stands on the threshold of a hopeful and inclusive new chapter,” GLAAD CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said in a statement.
“With Pope Leo XIV’s leadership, there is an extraordinary opportunity to inspire billions around the world and further embrace LGBTQ people with compassion, dignity, and love.”
Originally published as ‘Man and a woman’: Newly-elected Pope Leo XIV shares thoughts on gay marriage, abortion
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