Pope Francis emphasizes: the life of the unborn is 'sacred and inviolable'
April 11, 2014
In an April 11 audience, Pope Francis thanked Italian pro-life leaders for “promoting and defending human life from its conception.”
“We know human life is sacred and inviolable,” the Pope said. “Every civil law is based on the recognition of the first and fundamental right, that to life, which is not subject to any conditions, neither economic nor qualitative nor ideological.”
“One of the most serious risks” today, he added, is the “divorce between economics and morality ... It is therefore necessary to reiterate the strongest opposition to any direct attack on life, especially innocent and defenseless life, and the unborn child in the mother's womb is the innocent par excellence.”
After quoting the Second Vatican Council's condemnation of abortion and infanticide, Pope Francis recalled an incident in which a repentant abortionist handed him his instruments of abortion. He urged pro-life leaders to be close to women so that “every woman feels regarded as a person, listened to, accepted, accompanied.”
In a “culture of waste,” the Pope added, grandparents as well as children are considered “discardable material ... No! Children and grandparents are the hope of a people!”
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Further information:
- Udienza al Movimento per la Vita italiano (Holy See Press Office)
- Pope Francis: Human life sacred and inviolable (Vatican Radio)
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Posted by: jg23753479 -
Apr. 11, 2014 2:59 PM ET USA
This may shock readers, but a search of today's New York Times shows only one story about Pope Francis, a blog about his apology for clerical sexual abuse; naturally large parts of the blog are given over to critics of the Church. But not a word about his condemnation of abortion and euthanasia. Wouldn't you think the Times could manage to publish at least a little article about this? You know, a small corrective to all their blather a while ago about Francis putting abortion on the back burner?
