Pope Francis: abortion & care for ecology interrelated

From the National Journal on today's Encyclical "On Care for Our Common Home".

#1 on National Journal's "six points from the Encyclical."

Population Control Is Not the Answer

For Pope Francis, caring about the environment goes hand in hand with taking a strong stand against abortion. "Since everything is interrelated, concern for the protection of nature is also incompatible with the justification of abortion," the encyclical says. "How can we genuinely teach the importance of concern for other vulnerable beings, however troublesome or inconvenient they may be, if we fail to protect a human embryo, even when its presence is uncomfortable and creates difficulties?"

Francis suggests that efforts to slow population growth are misguided and a distraction from the underlying cause of the world's environmental crisis—the hoarding of the Earth's resources by the rich and powerful. "To blame population growth instead of extreme and selective consumerism on the part of some, is one way of refusing to face the issues," the encyclical says.

We would expect the encyclical to make the connection - for Catholics it should be self-evident.

 

Comments

[Catherine Adago]

I am happy to read this as I found the initial information troubling. My problem with climate change (alias, global warming)is that there is no room for debate. Anyone including scientists are labeled "deniers" and attacked in other ugly ways. Sorry but this is by far not the most important issue we have to address. We have genocide going on in the middle east and Africa. People including women and children are being tortured and degraded beyond imagination. In my opinion the leader of the Catholic Church should be one pointed in regard to this suffering. President Obama the leader of the free world has not lifted a finger to help or even firmly address suffering Christians. Yet, our Pope will pay him a visit. I am glad the Pope addressed abortion in regard to global warming but a lot of people who love him- ON THIS ISSUE- strongly link abortion sterilization and birth control to a "better planet" How sad.

[Arlene Hamm]

AMEN!
Arlene H.

[Judith Anderson]

Well said, Catherine. There is very little reported on this aspect of the Pope's encyclical. It is so fundamental that it must be ignored! Also, I have no problem with the Pope visiting the President. Hearts are often only changed one-on-one. Ronald Reagan with so many world leaders comes to mind.Our upcoming LifeNet issue will focus on leadership.Watch for it.