Pope Leo XIV has affirmed traditional Catholic doctrine regarding marriage, saying that it is founded on the “stable union between a man and a woman.”

The pope, who was elected to lead the Catholic Church on May 8, was making his first major remarks as pontiff during a private audience with the Vatican’s diplomatic corps on Friday, where he also stressed the inherent dignity of the frail and vulnerable, including the unborn, elderly and immigrants.

“It is the responsibility of government leaders to work to build harmonious and peaceful civil societies,” the pope said. “This can be achieved above all by investing in the family, founded upon the stable union between a man and a woman.”

While Pope Francis also said the Church could not accept same-sex marriage, conservatives accused the late pontiff of sowing confusion among the faithful by being more welcoming than his predecessors to LGBTQ people and approving the blessing of individuals in same-sex relationships.

FOOTBALL LEGEND LOU HOLTZ CALLS ON CATHOLICS TO ‘DEFEND AND ENCOURAGE’ POPE LEO XIV

Pope Leo, the first American to lead the Catholic Church and a member of the Augustinian order, reaffirmed the Church’s position against abortion, called for protection of religious freedom and said he would continue to pursue inter-religious dialogue.

“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,” Leo said.

The gathering with the Vatican’s diplomatic corps is standard protocol following the election of a new pope and allows him to greet representatives of world governments ahead of his formal installation Mass on Sunday. Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, along with many other world leaders, will attend the mass, the Vatican said. 

In emphasizing dignity for immigrants, Pope Leo noted that his own family had immigrated to the United States. His remarks could lead to friction with President Donald Trump, who seeks to deport millions of illegal immigrants from the U.S. Trump and Pope Francis also publicly clashed on immigration. 

Pope Leo XIV meets with the Diplomatic Corps prior to his inaugural mass. (Vatican Media)

MEDIA POSITIONS POPE LEO XIV AS POTENTIAL ‘COUNTERWEIGHT’ TO TRUMP

“My own story is that of a citizen, the descendant of immigrants, who in turn chose to emigrate,” Pope Leo told ambassadors at the Vatican.

“All of us, in the course of our lives, can find ourselves healthy or sick, employed or unemployed, living in our native land or in a foreign country, yet our dignity always remains unchanged. It is the dignity of a creature willed and loved by God,” he added.

Pope Leo’s father was of French and Italian descent, while his mother was of Spanish descent.

Pope Leo XIV appears at the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican, on May 8, 2025.  (Andrew Medichini/AP)

Pope Leo called on attendees to keep in mind three essential words – “peace,” “justice” and “truth” – and said that they represent the pillars of the church’s missionary activity and the aim of the Holy See’s diplomacy. 

Truth, for instance, he said, “does not create division, but rather enables us to confront all the more resolutely the challenges of our time, such as migration, the ethical use of artificial intelligence and the protection of our beloved planet Earth.”

“These are challenges that require commitment and cooperation on the part of all, since no one can think of facing them alone.

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Severe weather sweeping across the American Midwest and South has left at least 21 people dead, with officials warning that the death toll may rise. 

In Kentucky, at least 14 people were confirmed dead, with local authorities saying nine people were killed after what appeared to be a powerful tornado touched down in the south-eastern part of the state. 

Structures collapsed, and a car was flipped on a motorway as the storm ripped through the largely rural area. Authorities said there were also multiple reports of serious injuries. 

While the US’s National Weather Service has not yet confirmed that it was a tornado which struck Kentucky, meteorologist Philomon Geertson said it was likely.  

“Lives have been changed forever here tonight. This is a time we come together, and we pray for this community,” said the mayor of London, Kentucky, Randall Wendle. “I have never personally witnessed what I’ve witnessed here tonight.”  

Only two months ago, severe weather caused at least 24 deaths and widespread damage in Kentucky. Hundreds had to be rescued during that storm. 

Missouri pounded by storms

At least seven people were killed in neighbouring Missouri and tornadoes were also triggered in Wisconsin by the severe weather.  

More than 600,000 homes and businesses across a dozen states lost power as of Saturday, with Missouri and Kentucky among the hardest hit. 

St. Louis mayor Cara Spencer confirmed the deaths of at least five people in the city and said more than 5,000 homes were damaged. 

“This is truly, truly devastating,” she said. “The loss of life and the destruction is truly, truly horrendous.” 

The city’s fire department said three people had to be rescued after part of a nearby church collapsed, but one of these people died. A curfew was imposed Friday night in the neighbourhoods damaged the most. 

The US National Weather Service said tornadoes also hit Illinois, with more severe weather conditions expected all the way to the Atlantic coast. 

The total number of injured was not immediately available. However, hospitals in area reported receiving dozens of injured – some in serious condition. 

Additional sources • AP

Democratic Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota assailed Donald Trump in a law school graduation speech Saturday, accusing the Republican president of creating a national emergency by repeatedly violating the rule of law.

Walz, the vice presidential nominee in 2024, used his remarks at the University of Minnesota’s law school commencement ceremony to call on graduates to stand up to abuses of power. Lawyers, he said, “our first and last line of defense.”

“Right now, more than any other time in my lifetime, we need you to live up to the oath that you’re about to make. Because, I have to be honest with you: You are graduating into a genuine emergency,” Walz told the crowd, which greeted him with loud applause. “Every single day, the president of the United States finds new ways to trample rights and undermine the rule of law.”

Walz pointed to Trump’s immigration crackdown, which includes deporting alleged gang members to a notorious prison in El Salvador without due process, and the offer of a gifted jet from the Qatari ruling family to the president.

“This is what the crumbling of rule of law looks like in real time. And it’s exactly what the founders of this nation feared: A tyrant, abusing power to persecute scapegoats and enemies,” he said.

Since Kamala Harris’ loss to Trump in November, Democrats have been debating which direction to take the party amid deep frustrations from Democratic voters that its leaders are failing to do enough to check the new administration.

Walz is among a long list of potential 2028 candidates who have been traveling to early voting states.

Others include Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, who sharply criticized “do-nothing” Democrats last month for failing to oppose Trump. Pritzker, who is scheduled to headline a Minnesota Democratic dinner in June, drew attention in February when he used part of his joint budget and State of the State address to draw a parallel between Trump’s rhetoric and the rise of Nazi Germany.

This past week, President Joe Biden’s transportation secretary, Pete Buttigieg, returned to Iowa for a town hall where he criticized Trump’s administration while demanding that Democrats make their agenda clear and reach out to people who disagree with them.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has been hosting a high-profile podcast. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have been drawing huge crowds to rallies across the country. Walz and Gov. Wes Moore of Maryland have scheduled stops in South Carolina at the end of May.

In his commencement speech, Walz acknowledged his words were particularly pointed for a celebratory ceremony.

“Some would say, ’Boy, this is getting way too political for a commencement address.’ But I would argue: I wouldn’t be honoring my oath if I didn’t address this head on,” he said to applause and cheers.

Later, he scoffed at some Democrats who have urged the party to focus on issues such as trade, where Trump is polling badly, instead of the rule of law.

He also attacked “feckless” and “cowardly” big law firms that have acquiesced to Trump in the face of threats, with some offering millions in pro bono work and other benefits.

“It’s a flagrant betrayal of the oath they took as lawyers,” he said, urging graduates to refuse to work for or with those firms as they make their way into the workforce.