Pope Francis offered words of encouragement to pro-life advocates across the world, during a pro-life conference Friday in Italy.
The pope urged pro-life advocates in the Italian Pro-Life Movement to continue their important work. He called the movement “Good Samaritans” for faithfully defending their “most fragile neighbors” even in the midst of difficulties, the Vatican Radio reported.
Pope Francis also referenced pro-life teachings from his encyclical, “Laudato Si”:
“How can we genuinely teach the importance of concern for other vulnerable beings, however troublesome or inconvenient they may be, if we fail to protect a human embryo, even when its presence is uncomfortable and creates difficulties? … We forget that the inalienable worth of a human being transcends his or her degree of development. In the same way, when technology disregards the great ethical principles, it ends up considering any practice whatsoever as licit.”
Pope Francis called on the movement to protect life at all stages, including the impoverished and the exploited, the sick and the homeless.
The pope singled out pregnancy help centers for praise, commending them for serving families of all religions and nationalities, especially immigrant women and their children who are arriving in Europe in increasing numbers.
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The pontiff ended his remarks by encouraging pro-lifers to “promote and defend the family, above all when it concerns the gift of children and affirming the dignity of women.”
As LifeNews previously reported, earlier this fall, Pope Francis wrote a letter explaining that the Catholic Church will be making it easier for women who have obtained abortions to seek forgiveness from their priests.
Although some pro-abortion Catholics have argued that Pope Francis’ gesture is a sign that the Church is becoming more “progressive” on abortion, this is completely false. Pope Francis said that Christians should offer grace and mercy to post-abortive women but simultaneously stand strong against abortion.
