Both US presidential candidates espouse anti-life views, pope says (Page 4 ) | September 16, 2024

In the Old Testament, he said, God’s people are repeatedly reminded to care for “‘widows, orphans and the stranger,’ that is, the migrant. They are the three that the People of Israel must protect. The one who does not care for migrants is lacking; it is a sin.”

And “to have an abortion is to kill a human being. Whether or not you like the word, it is killing,” the pope said. “The Catholic Church does not allow abortion because it is killing. It is assassination. And we must be clear about that.”

Pope Francis was asked if there were situations when a Catholic could vote for a candidate who was in favor of abortion.

“In political morality, generally, they say not voting is wrong; one must vote, and one must choose the lesser evil” in accordance with one’s conscience, he said.

Abortion and care for migrants are both issues the U.S. bishops urge Catholics to consider when voting. In their document, “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship,” however, they say, “The threat of abortion remains our pre-eminent priority because it directly attacks our most vulnerable and voiceless brothers and sisters and destroys more than a million lives per year in our country alone.”

At the beginning of Pope Francis’ trip, a French writer started a rumor that the pope would travel to Paris Dec. 8 for the reopening and consecration of the altar in Notre Dame Cathedral, rebuilt after a devastating fire in 2019.

When asked about that trip, the pope’s response was simple: “I will not go to Paris.”

As for the idea of the 87-year-old pope making a trip to Argentina, his homeland, he was not as clear.

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