Pro-life leaders say Pope Francis Will Inspire the World to 'promote the culture of life'

Ben Johnson : Mar 15, 2013
LifeSiteNews.com

"I pray that Pope Francis inspires, not only Catholics, but people of all faiths to promote and defend the culture of life." Michael New

(Washington, DC)—Members of the pro-life and pro-family community say they are overjoyed at the selection of Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio as the new Pope of the Roman Catholic Church. (Photo: LifeSiteNews.com)

As LifeSiteNews reported in 2007, the new pope, Francis, has called abortion the "death penalty" for the unborn. He has also taken a strong stance in favor of the natural family in Argentina. He called gay marriage "a destructive pretension against the plan of God" and "a machination of the Father of Lies." At the same time, in a story that is being much-repeated today, Pope Francis demonstrated his compassion when he visited a hospice on Holy Thursday where he kissed and washed the feet of 12 patients suffering from AIDS, a disease that is often associated with homosexuality.

That legacy heartened pro-life and pro-family activists across the country.

"During his time as Archbishop of Buenos Aires Jorge Mario Bergoglio was a stalwart defender of the sanctity of all innocent human life," Michael New of National Review told LifeSiteNews.com. "On September 1, 2009–the feast day of St. Raimondo Nonnato, the patron of expectant mothers and the unborn–Cardinal Bergoglio celebrated Mass in Buenos Aires. He encouraged attendees to defend life from conception to its natural end. He also added that to really promote the culture of life means also supporting the existence of these unborn children, in all phases of their childhood." (Photo: FOXNews.com)

"I pray that Pope Francis inspires, not only Catholics, but people of all faiths to promote and defend the culture of life," New said.

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