Protect all human life, Pope urges doctors

September 20, 2013

“The first right of the human person is his life,” Pope Francis said at a September 20 meeting with members of the International Federal of Catholic Medical Associations.

The Pope asked the doctors to “bear witness to and disseminate the culture of life,” at a time when the medical profession shows signs of profound confusion about ethical standards. The Pope observed that today, “while new rights are attributed to or indeed almost presumed by the individual, life is not always protected as the primary value and the primordial right of every human being.”

"Every unborn child unjustly condemned to be aborted has the face of Jesus Christ," the Pope said. "And every elderly person, sick, or even at the end of his days, bears the face of Christ." Each human life is precious, he said; "you cannot discard!"

Decrying a “throwaway culture” that discards human beings when they are not considered valuable, the Pope said: “Our response to this mentality is a 'yes' to life, decisive and without hesitation.” He concluded with the observation that “there is no human life more sacred than another.”

 

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Further information:

• Francis: No Human Life Is More Valuable Than Another (VIS)
• Pope: Spread the Gospel of life (Vatican Radio)
• Complete English text