In an interesting and helpful development, Pope Leo XIV has affirmed the Catholic Church’s teachings about the sanctity of human life and marriage.
In remarks to the Vatican Diplomatic Corps, Leo XIV listed “peace,” “justice” and “truth” as the “three essential words that represent the pillars of the Catholic Church’s missionary activity and the aim of the Holy See’s diplomacy.” When discussing the topic of “justice,” he stressed the “responsibility of government leaders to work to build harmonious and peaceful civil societies. This can be achieved above all by investing in the family, founded upon the stable union between a man and a woman,” he said. “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.”
In addition to demonstrating his support for upholding Church teachings on abortion and marriage, Leo XIV cited “migration, the ethical use of artificial intelligence and the protection of our beloved Planet Earth” as “the challenges of our time.” He credited the “truth” with enabling the shared confrontation of “the challenges that require commitment and cooperation on the part of all.”
“The Church can never be exempted from speaking the truth about humanity and the world, resorting whenever necessary to blunt language that may initially create misunderstanding,” Leo XIV added. “Yet truth can never be separated from a charity, which always has at its root a concern for the life and well-being of every man and woman. Furthermore, from the Christian perspective, truth is not the affirmation of abstract and disembodied principles, but an encounter with the person of Christ himself, alive in the midst of the community of believers.”
Leo XIV also shared his belief that “religions and interreligious dialogue can make a fundamental contribution to fostering a climate of peace.” According to the pontiff, “This naturally requires full respect for religious freedom in every country since religious experience is an essential dimension of the human person. Without it, it is difficult, if not impossible, to bring about the purification of the heart necessary for building peaceful relationships.”
Leo XIV’s conversation with diplomats from around the world comes amid concerns that he will be a woke pope. The pontiff’s brother, Louis Prevost, attempted to put to rest these concerns in an interview with Piers Morgan. Prevost insisted that his brother abides by a philosophy centered on the idea that “you have to maintain the rules of the Catholic Church.” When asked specifically about his brother’s views about homosexuality, Prevost predicted that he would not “endorse gay marriage.” “Because of his studies in canon law and his background, he’s still, at his roots, he’s Catholic and he follows the rules of the church,” Prevost maintained.
Biblical Connections: While Evangelicals and Catholics have major disagreements on many theological areas, traditionally they have both agreed on these two areas: that marriage is between a man and a woman and that life begins at conception. While the Catholic Church does not have the same type of political influence it once had, it still holds significant political power and influence. They also have significant influence in the realm of education. Catholics and Evangelicals can agree to work together to defend these areas in societies that are trying to move away from these biblical beliefs.
PRAY: Pray the Catholic Church under Pope Leo XIV will continue to stand firm on these biblical issues and work together with Evangelicals to help defend Christian values in society.