VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Leo XIV affirmed Friday that the family is established as the “stable relationship between a man and a woman,” and that children and the elderly enjoy dignity as creatures of God, articulating clear Catholic teaching on marriage and abortion at the beginning of his pontificate.

Leo, the first American pope, also called for a revitalisation of multilateral diplomacy and the promotion of inter-religious dialogue in the search for peace. This was his first meeting with the Vatican’s diplomatic corps. The meeting was private, but the Vatican published the text prepared by Leo and those of the diplomatic corps members.

The ceremony is one of the protocol requirements following the conclave, allowing the new Pope to greet world government representatives before his formal investiture Mass this Sunday. The Holy See is a sovereign state governed by international law, maintains diplomatic relations with more than 180 countries and enjoys observer status with United Nations bodies.

Leo, a member of the Agustina religious order, has emphasized peace as the priority of his pontificate, from the first words he spoke in the lodge of St. Peter’s Basilica after his election on May 8, “Peace be with you all.”

In his comments, he asserted that the pursuit of peace was one of the pillars of the papacy. He insisted that peace is not merely the solution to conflict, but rather that it requires work, from creating a new world to crafting weapons and choosing words carefully.

“Because words too, and not only weapons, can hurt and even kill.”

He said it is the responsibility of governments to build peaceful societies “above all by investing in the family, based on the stable relationship between man and woman.”

“Furthermore, no one is exempt from making efforts to guarantee respect for the dignity of all people, especially the most fragile and vulnerable. “From workers to the elderly, from the sick to employees, citizens and immigrants alike,” he said.

Pope Francis strongly reaffirmed fundamental Catholic teaching that opposes abortion and pregnancy, saying it was evidence of today’s “throwaway culture.” But he also made outreach to LGBTQ+ Catholics a hallmark, insisting they are welcome in the Church. He changed Church teaching that defines marriage as between men and women, and homosexual acts as “tripartitely disordered.”

As leader of the Augustinian order, the Rev. Robert Prevost in 2012 criticized the “homosexual lifestyle” and the media’s role in promoting acceptance of same-sex relationships, which contradicted Catholic teaching. A decade later, during Francis’ papacy, he acknowledged his call to the more inclusive church and said he did not want people excluded solely because of their lifestyle choices.