FOR THE FIRST TIME, POPE LEO XIV HAS INTERVENED IN AN ABORTION DISPUTE ROILING THE U.S. CATHOLIC CHURCH.

LEO, A CHICAGO NATIVE, WAS ASKED ABOUT PLANS TO GIVE A LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD TO ILLINOIS SENATOR DICK DURBIN FOR HIS WORK HELPING IMMIGRANTS.

THE PLANS DREW OBJECTION FROM SOME CONSERVATIVE U.S. BISHOPS GIVEN THE DEMOCRATIC SENATOR’S SUPPORT FOR ABORTION RIGHTS.

LEO CALLED FOR RESPECT ON BOTH SIDES, BUT HE ALSO POINTED OUT THE SEEMING CONTRADICTION IN SUCH DEBATES.

SOUNDBITE (English) Pope Leo XIV:

"Someone who says 'I'm against abortion,' but says 'I am in favor of the death penalty,' is not really pro-life. So someone who says that 'I'm against abortion, but I'm in agreement with the inhuman treatment of immigrants who are in the United States,' I don't know if that's pro-life."

HIS WORDS ECHO A COMMON CATHOLIC ARGUMENT OFTEN MADE IN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT ABORTION.

U.S. BISHOPS AND THE VATICAN HAVE STRONGLY CALLED FOR THE HUMANE TREATMENT OF MIGRANTS, CITING THE BIBLICAL COMMAND TO “WELCOME THE STRANGER.”

POPE LEO MADE NO MENTION OF U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, WHOSE ADMINISTRATION HAS CARRIED OUT A SURGE OF IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT IN THE CHICAGO AREA.