The Holy See’s main bioethics body, the Pontifical Academy for Life, said it “challenges the whole world” to reopen debate about the need to protect life. Abortion is legal in Italy and most of Europe.
In an editorial Saturday entitled “For Life, Always,” the Vatican’s editorial director, Andrea Tornielli, called for that debate to move away from polarized ideology to a dialogue that takes into account concerns about maternal mortality rates and helping women, especially poor ones, with paid parental leave and other assistance when they bring children into the world .
“Being for life, always, also means defending it against the threat of firearms, which unfortunately have become a leading cause of death of children and adolescents in the U.S.,” Tornielli wrote.
Farrell, in his closing remarks at the end of the Mass, thanked Francis for his many initiatives in favor of families, citing in particular his teaching on the value of grandparents and his “many pronouncements in defense of life.”
This article originally appeared on APNews.com.
