Pope Francis started 2025 by reiterating his plea to the faithful to oppose abortion, emphasizing the importance of a steadfast commitment to protecting and respecting life from conception to natural death.
On Wednesday, Pope Francis celebrated a New Year’s Eve mass at St. Peter’s Basilica, honoring the Virgin Mary, according to the AP.
During his homily, he prayed that everyone would learn to care for every child born and appreciate the precious gift of life, encompassing life in the womb, the life of children, the life of the suffering, the poor, the elderly, the lonely, and the dying.
He called for a firm commitment to respect the dignity of human life from conception to natural death, so that every person can value their own life and look toward the future with hope.
Reflecting on his early years in office, the pope expressed concern over the church’s preoccupation with “little-known rules” on controversial issues such as abortion. He now openly compares abortion to hiring a killer to “solve a problem,” the media reported.
Recently in Belgium, he criticized the existing abortion law as a “deadly law.”
This year, Pope Francis, who has respiratory issues, faced additional challenges as 2025 marks a Jubilee or Holy Year at the Vatican. The Holy Year, celebrated once every 25 years, will draw 32 million pilgrims to Rome.
