Pope Leo XIV on Tuesday offered an assessment of the abortion dynamic in the United States, marking his first public comments on the matter since becoming the first American-born pope earlier this year.

The pope specifically addressed a controversy involving Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich’s decision to award a lifetime achievement award to Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL). Ten U.S. bishops criticized the move, citing Durbin’s long record as an abortion-rights advocate.

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