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Pope Leo XIV Opens First Homily with Statement in English; Trump Threatens Sanctions if Putin Doesn't Accept Ceasefire. Aired 3:30-4p ET

Aired May 09, 2025 - 15:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[15:30:00]

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: Newly elected Pope Leo XIV is wrapping up his first full day as head of the Catholic Church. And this morning, he celebrated Mass at the Sistine Chapel, beginning his first homily as pope with a statement in his native tongue, English, before switching to Italian. He echoed his predecessor, Pope Francis, by calling on the church to continue its, quote, missionary outreach.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: Back in his home state of Illinois, members of Pope Leo's family are sharing their stories. CNN's Whitney Wild got a chance to speak with his older brother, John Prevost.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WHITNEY WILD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What do you think you learned from your little brother? And when did you stop being your little brother?

JOHN PREVOST, ELDER BROTHER OF POPE LEO XIV: I never really thought of him as my little brother. He was always Rob.

WILD: Did he teach you anything as a as a person, as a child?

PREVOST: Stand up for what you believe in. We still talk every day, though.

WILD: Really? Did you talk to him today?

PREVOST: Yes.

WILD: What'd he say?

PREVOST: Are the reporters gone? I said, no. He said, OK, goodbye.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KEILAR: Michael B. Murphy is with us now. He's the director of the Hank Center for the Catholic Intellectual Heritage at Loyola University, Chicago. Pretty funny moment there. Goodbye, if the reporters are still there.

Can you tell us a little bit about the significance of Pope Leo starting his first papal homily in English? MICHAEL P. MURPHY, PHD, DIRECTOR, HANK CENTER FOR CATHOLIC INTELLECTUAL HERITAGE, LOYOLA UNIVERSITY CHICAGO: Yes, that's definitely a first, Brianna. And you know, thanks for having me on. You know, what does it signal?

I think it would signal something a little more unusual had he not gone back to Italian. So I think he's just signaling he's kind of a triple citizen, right? He's a U.S. citizen. He's a Peruvian naturalized citizen. Now he's the citizen of the sovereign state of the Vatican, the head of it. So I think he's just kind of honoring the diversity of his own being and kind of inhabiting the kind of linguistic gymnastics.

SANCHEZ: I wonder what you took from his urging for the church to press ahead with its missionary outreach into the far corners of the globe. Something that Pope Francis before him really leaned into.

MURPHY: Yes, I think it's right in keeping with his role as the successor of Peter and, you know, the papal role to kind of, you know, make the gospel, make Jesus better known. I would think a little bit of a kind of a riff would be because he talked about people who lack faith or have lost their faith.

And, you know, and I think he's kind of signaling the kind of almost corpse cold feeling we feel sometimes here in the late modern era, highly teched. And we feel kind of lonely or disconnected from people. And I think he wants to kind of really ramp up a kind of a 21st century approach to faith. But, you know, based on that kind of old traditional way, meeting new problems, new challenges.

KEILAR: A friend of the Pope who went to the same seminary as him says a respect for women and a respect for their voice is at the center of the new Pope's ministry. Back in 2023, we should note then Cardinal Robert Prevost said that ordaining women wouldn't necessarily solve issues the church is facing. How do you think that he'll approach the role of women in the church and in roles of leadership in the church?

MURPHY: You know, he might echo Pope Francis here a little bit, because, I mean, and this gets wonky. I don't want to do that. But to be clericalist, to see that the highest role is being a priest.

[15:35:00]

Well, it certainly appears that way, right? But, you know, what he wants to say is, you know, there are theological reasons and many Catholics disagree with him.

But that's the that's the language he's operating on. But he's saying, look, it doesn't mean people can have leadership roles. He you know, he -- one of his roles.

Currently, he's the president of the Pontifical Pontifical Commission for Latin America. And his left hand person, the secretary, is Dr. Emilce Cuda who is one of the most powerful women. You know, a woman had never had a role like that. She's a secretary of a Vatican commission. That's new. And so I would think with with Pope Leo XIV, we might see more of that

kind of thing.

SANCHEZ: I understand, Michael, that you've gotten a chance to meet him previously. What was that interaction like?

MURPHY: That was wonderful. It kind of comes out of with Dr. Cuda. You know, Loyola worked on a project with Pope Francis, the Pontifical Commission for Latin America was part of it.

And so we are looking to do the next phase of this. When Cardinal Prevost visited last summer, August, and we had dinner together at a restaurant outside of Chicago. Nice two hour meal. I really enjoyed it. And, you know, I don't know how long this will last, but I was just just was checking. I have his phone number on my cell phone.

So I think not for long, but it's kind of an amazing thing. Probably not the best thing to say on national TV or international TV. But I found it to be a wonderful person, joyous, a glint in his eye, a gentleman, very good humored. We had a really nice dinner together.

SANCHEZ: I don't know what time it is at the Vatican right now. You want to try and give him a call, Michael?

MURPHY: I don't know what's pro forma anymore, but like he's just a very he's a very available person. You know, you talk about all of his family growing up. So, you know, they all played Red Rover together. So a really nice guy.

KEILAR: Yes, maybe he'll keep the number. Who knows? And you can give him a ring.

I do want to ask you on a very serious note about the sex abuse scandal, because it was such a stain on the church and how so many people saw the church. And it really drove a wedge between so many people in their faith. I wonder, especially because Francis was seen as this sort of person who had a role in repairing some of that.

How do you expect Pope Leo to address that, to continue that?

MURPHY: The damage is almost incalculable, Brianna. It's an open wound to the church, the sex abuse crisis and cover up, you know. And, you know, I have kids and that makes me ill.

So we have work to do, you know, and he had in his leadership role, he's a very capable leader. But he had, you know, he's had to navigate, has Pope Leo XIV, these all too real and damaging accusations and processing all these things. These are people's lives.

So I always hope for transparency and growth. I always hope for honesty and squaring it up face to face. And, you know, I met some of his colleagues, Augustinian priests, and they say that Bob never would stonewall, would always work the situation if that's the right language for it.

But I know that the new Pope has had some, you know, criticism of how he's maybe handled things in the past. But that's all I can say with any kind of credibility.

KEILAR: Yes, we'll see, right? There's this is the first full day. We'll see what kind of Pope he is. But obviously, a lot of people with a lot of hopes about what that will mean. Michael Murphy, it's great to have you. Thank you so much.

MURPHY: Thanks for the invitation. Take care.

KEILAR: All right. You, too.

And we'll be right back with more news.

[15:40:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: President Trump and Western allies are now threatening to slap Russia with more sanctions if Moscow refuses to agree to a 30-day unconditional ceasefire in Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The warning comes on the same day that Russian President Vladimir Putin held a Victory Day parade in Moscow, the Kremlin leader inviting several world leaders to that celebration, including China's Xi Jinping. This was to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.

CNN's Nick Paton Walsh joins us now live from Kyiv. So, Nick, what more can you tell us about this renewed push for a ceasefire?

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's extraordinary to see what we've envisaged in diplomacy over the last 24 hours or so. France's President Emmanuel Macron saying that he spoke to U.S. President Donald Trump several times last night and again on social media saying that there was going to be a new push for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire, something the U.S. and Ukraine have proposed now for nearly two months but has been rejected by Russia.

Now, in the last minutes we've heard on Russian state media, again, the Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, according to Ria Novosti, saying that they do agree to the idea of a 30-day ceasefire but, quote, with nuances.

And, of course, those nuances have been utterly key, when might potentially it start, what are the conditions around all of that.

[15:45:00]

But there appears to be a growing sense now amongst European allies, it seems, with the backing of the White House, that they need to lay a deadline or some kind of timing ahead of Moscow to get this ceasefire underway, essentially a pause in fighting which Ukraine's allies say would be used to enable real diplomacy, potentially even face-to-face meetings between Kyiv and Moscow. So far, untenable almost to both sides, or they have agreed in principle to doing that.

What we're in the middle of now, though, is a unilaterally declared ceasefire that Russia's put forward that Ukraine says it's violated. We've heard from Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that there will be a meeting of what he calls the coalition of the willing. That's key European countries, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Poland, others who are behind the idea of a reassurance force for Ukraine in the event of some kind of ceasefire.

That meeting is tomorrow. We don't know exactly who's attending or where it will be, but it seems that this call for a 30-day ceasefire is really about mounting pressure on the United States. President Donald Trump yesterday on Truth Social said that if this ceasefire isn't accepted by Russia, there could be heavier sanctions.

That's been echoed by his European partners. There seems to be a serious move ahead here to pressure Russia into something. Quite whether they're willing to accept at this point is really unclear -- Boris.

SANCHEZ: Yes, we'll see what comes next. Nick Paton Walsh, live for us in Kyiv, thank you so much. Stay with CNN NEWS CENTRAL. We're back in just a few minutes.

[15:50:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KEILAR: Breaking news just in. The mayor of Newark has just been arrested at an ICE detention center in New Jersey. In a post on social media, acting U.S. attorney Alina Habba says Mayor Ras Baraka, quote, committed trespass and ignored warnings from Homeland Security personnel to leave. Mayor Baraka has been at the facility throughout the past week protesting its opening and alleging that its operators did not get proper permits.

And ahead, the CNN original series "MY HAPPY PLACE" takes viewers on a captivating journey across the globe as six celebrity hosts travel to the places that have become their personal sanctuaries.

CNN's chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, spent more than a decade of his life studying to become a neurosurgeon at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Widely considered among the best college towns in the country, and it just so happens to be his happy place as well. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: This is the last practice before the big spring game here in Ann Arbor. What you're seeing here is my Wolverines before they get after it this season.

GUPTA (voice-over): The Michigan Wolverines, the winningest football program in history. Befittingly, they play in the largest sports stadium in the country.

GUPTA: The big house. I'm so excited. Very few people get this view. Just imagine all these seats filled, more than 100,000 people all cheering for the same thing. I love it. That was my life every Saturday.

GUPTA (voice-over): One of my favorite times I was here was to deliver the commencement address.

GUPTA: Thank you. Simply being here is incredibly personal for me. You see, not only was the foundation for most of my life conceived in this town, I myself was likely conceived in this town.

GUPTA (voice-over): We are in Ann Arbor because this is my happy place. I spent 13 years of my life here studying to become a neurosurgeon. Yep, that's me with the mullet.

I mean, give me a break. It was the 1980s.

GUPTA: So you bring the patient in. Head's here. And I think I probably spent years of my life standing right here.

GUPTA (voice-over): Ann Arbor, Michigan is widely considered to be one of the best college towns in the country. And I would have to agree. But what makes a great college town?

The academics, the students, the sports teams, the food, the culture, the nightlife? If you ask me, Ann Arbor checks all the boxes. It's packed full of incredible places, including the world-famous Zingerman's Deli.

I asked the owner, Ari, about what makes Ann Arbor such a happy place for me, for him, and for so many others.

ARI WEINZWEIG, CO-FOUNDER, ZINGERMAN'S DELICATESSEN: There's very good energy here. I meet a football coach. I meet a world-class violinist. I meet a poet that's in doing a book event. You know, and that's like one evening. You know, and I think there's a lot of that here.

And so the creativity enhances the creativity. And people meet, and it creates a spirit of generosity that's wonderful.

GUPTA (voice-over): It's true. You do meet a lot of interesting people here. Probably the most important person I met was my wife, Rebecca. She used to work at my favorite restaurant in town, Palio. And when we started dating, she would keep this starving, poor surgical resident from going hungry.

GUPTA: I'd come in here, and it was like I was a mafia don. Sitting here, they'd bring me pasta, a little glass of wine, more pasta, some bread.

REBECCA GUPTA, SANJAY'S WIFE: You did luck out when you would come here, because if there had been, like, a mistake, and we would have an extra meal or something, I'd be like, oh, can I have it? They're like, OK, and I'd go and get it to you.

GUPTA: To the happiest place in the world.

R. GUPTA: Cheers. (END VIDEOTAPE)

KEILAR: Be sure to tune in. A new episode of "MY HAPPY PLACE" with award-winning filmmaker and musician Questlove airs Sunday at 10 p.m. Eastern and Pacific only on CNN.

[15:55:00]

Like everyone from Chicago, Pope Leo has a choice when it comes to which baseball team to root for. So is he a Cubs fan, or is he a White Sox fan? We'll dive into that debate next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: It is the home of deep dish pizza, it's the windy city, it's the second city, and now it is the city where the first American pope emerged. Chicago celebrating its native son, Pope Leo XIV. So, a big question here.

Who does the new pope root for, the Cubs or the White Sox? Now, both teams claim to have his support. This is Wrigley Field on his famous marquee declaring emphatically that Leo was a Cubs fan.

[16:00:00]

KEILAR: Yes, well not so fast says the South Side. The White Sox also claiming Pope Leo. That says Francis. I think that should say Pope Leo.

Yes, we can't even move on, right? OK, but who is it really? Pope Leo's brother, John Prevost, telling CNN affiliate WBBM, he's a Sox fan, people.

He is a Sox fan. What do you think of that, Boris?

SANCHEZ: He's got to have some faith. Sheesh, they haven't been good in a long time.

KEILAR: All right, that's it for us. "THE ARENA" with Kasie Hunt starts right now.

END