Pope Leo: Pro-life Means More Than Opposing Abortion

Vatican, October 2, 2025: Responding to a journalist’s question, Pope Leo urged Catholics to show greater respect for one another while reflecting deeply on the broad scope of Church teaching.

The Pope stressed that being pro-life cannot be reduced to a single issue. “It is important to look at many issues that are related to the teaching of the Church,” he said. He pointed out that opposition to abortion must go hand in hand with opposition to the death penalty and with the defense of migrants’ dignity.

“Someone who says ‘I am against abortion’ but is in favour of the death penalty is not really pro-life. And someone who says ‘I’m against abortion’ but is in agreement with the inhumane treatment of immigrants in the US… I don’t know if that’s pro-life,” he continued.

Acknowledging the complexity of these questions, the Pope remarked, “They are very complex issues and I don’t know if anyone has all the truth on them.” Still, he insisted that Catholics must first cultivate respect for one another and seek solutions together.

“I would ask, first and foremost, that there be greater respect for one another, and that we search together — both as human beings, in this case as citizens of the US, or as Catholics. We need to look at all these issues and find a way forward as a Church. The Church’s teaching on each one of these issues is very clear,” Pope Leo said.

By Catholic Connect Reporter