Abortion opponents are disappointed that Pope Francis failed to mention their issue by name during his speech Thursday before a joint meeting of Congress.
“Pope Francis said that promoting life and family were the major reason he came to America this week,” LifeSiteNews editor-in-chief John-Henry Westen said shortly after the conclusion of Francis’ address.
“Yet, disappointingly, the pope did not mention abortion by name in his address to Congress,” said Westen, who also co-founded Voice of the Family and founded the Rome Life Forum. “Today, Congress is going to vote on whether to force taxpayers to fund Planned Parenthood, America’s largest abortion company — and on Monday, Democrats halted a ban on most late-term abortions. Pope Francis just missed perhaps his greatest opportunity to make a difference on life.”
The Stream contributing editor John Zmirak, a Catholic, echoed these sentiments.
“[Francis] could have shared the worthy, genuine insights that he is uniquely qualified to offer as Vicar of Christ. We needed to hear him reaffirm the commitment of Catholics to the natural law that God wrote in our heart, which teaches us a long list of truths: That innocent life is sacred from conception till natural death,” he said.
“Francis singled out the death penalty for condemnation — despite the support for it in the Old and New Testament, and through 1900 years of papal teaching. While addressing the legislative body that just failed to cut off $500 million of annual funding for the baby-parts merchants of Planned Parenthood, he never mentioned abortion. That’s like touring the antebellum South, and never speaking the word ‘slavery,'” he added.
The press was also quick to note that the word “abortion” was missing from Francis’ address.
National Review reported in a headline, “Pope Francis Focuses on Death Penalty, Downplays Abortion in Speech to Congress.”
Breitbart News said in dismay, “Pro-abortion Catholic politicians including Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden will undoubtedly capitalize on the Pope’s omission to continue snubbing Church teaching on the sanctity of life.”
Though Francis didn’t say “abortion” by name, he did make several references to the Church’s position on defending life, and at least one clear allusion to abortion, which the Catholic Church teaches is a grave evil.
As he urged lawmakers to apply the Golden Rule to crafting policy, he said, “The Golden Rule also reminds us of our responsibility to protect and defend human life at every stage of its development.”
From there, he switched over to commenting on the death penalty.
“This conviction has led me, from the beginning of my ministry, to advocate at different levels for the global abolition of the death penalty,” he said. “I am convinced that this way is the best, since every life is sacred, every human person is endowed with an inalienable dignity, and society can only benefit from the rehabilitation of those convicted of crimes.”
It’s likely no accident that Francis transitioned quickly to refer to the work of Dorothy Day, the co-founder of the Catholic Worker movement, and one of four exemplary Americans cited in his speech. Prior to her conversion to Catholicism, Day had an abortion. She would later cite that experience as one of the chief moments that moved her to seek out religion, and she would go on to become a fierce and unapologetic opponent of abortion.
After speaking on the dignity of all human life, and pleading with U.S. lawmakers that it be defended in all stages of development, Francis said of Day, “Her social activism, her passion for justice and for the causes of the oppressed, were inspired by the Gospel, her faith and the examples of the saints.”
Elsewhere, Francis continued the theme of celebrating life by underscoring the “richness and beauty” of the family.
“How essential the family has been to the building of this country! And how worthy it remains of our support and encouragement,” he said.
“I cannot hide my concern for the family, which is threatened, perhaps as never before, from within and without,” he added. “Fundamental relationships are being called into question, as is the very basis of marriage and the family. I can only reiterate the importance and, above all, the richness and the beauty of family life.”
