Pope Leo says family based on ‘union between a man and a woman,’ defends dignity of unborn

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

"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." Michael Dorgan is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business.

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. You can send tips to michael.dorgan@fox.com and follow him on Twitter @M_Dorgan.