Pope Leo Prioritizes Justice Over Sexual Ethics

Pope Leo stated during a press conference aboard his flight home from a four-nation tour of Africa that the Catholic Church should prioritize issues of justice and equality over matters of sexual ethics, signaling a potential shift in emphasis for its 1.4 billion members.

The 70-year-old pontiff, the first American pope, made the comments Thursday in response to a question about same-sex marriage and the Church's approach to blessings for same-sex couples. "The unity or division of the Church should not revolve around sexual matters," he said. "I believe there are much greater and more important issues such as justice, equality... that would all take priority before that particular issue." Leo affirmed his support for a 2023 decision by the late Pope Francis that permits priests to offer informal, non-liturgical blessings to same-sex couples on a case-by-case basis. However, he cautioned against further formalization. "To go beyond that today, I think that the topic can cause more disunity than unity," he added.

The remarks came at the end of an 11-day trip during which Leo condemned despotism and war, drawing headlines alongside criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump....