Don’t trust “Pope” Francis. He’s confused about abortion (“Pope doubles down on abortion in New Year’s Day message,” Jan. 1, 2025). In the article, the pope was cited as saying: “…to respect the dignity of human life from conception to natural death.” Catholic Church teaching allows no exceptions on the abortion issue. Because no matter how the conception of human life begins in the mother’s womb, innocent human life can never be “terminated.” But recently, before the presidential election, Francis adopted the “seamless garment” of morality that some liberal bishops have espoused, equating illegal immigration with abortion, among other societal ills.

In early September, Francis advised Catholic voters to decide which is the lesser evil: “kills children” (abortion/Kamala Harris) or “throws away migrants” (illegal immigration/Donald Trump). The Catholic Church has never been confused about abortion and neither has our United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. The Conference voted 225-11: “The threat of abortion remains the preeminent priority” in a voting guide for Catholic voters ahead of the 2024 presidential election. And they have voted with the same results in past presidential elections.

Francis is the only pope to adopt the liberal “seamless garment” attitude about the seriousness of different levels of morality. Murder of defenseless, innocent human life has no equal.

Daniel Pryor
Gorham