Thursday, January 22, 2026

Welcoming the Gift of Life

In the same address to international ambassadors (on January 9) in which he warned against "the zeal for war" and many other forms of violence against the dignity of human persons, Pope Leo also stressed the gift and vocation of every human life, the fundamental importance of marriage and the family, and the particular necessity "for enabling families to welcome and fully care for unborn life." He categorically rejects abortion and calls for protection of the lives of unborn children and support for their mothers.

Like all his predecessors, Pope Leo XIV proclaims the Gospel imperative of the inviolable dignity of the life and vocation of every human person without exception.

"Human beings are created in the image and likeness of God, who, 'by calling them into existence out of love, has at the same time called them to love.' This vocation is revealed in a privileged and unique way within the family. It is in this context that we learn to love and foster the capacity to serve life, thus contributing to the development of society and the Church’s mission....

"The vocation to love and to life, which manifests itself in an important way in the exclusive and indissoluble union between a woman and a man, implies a fundamental ethical imperative for enabling families to welcome and fully care for unborn life. This is increasingly a priority, especially in those countries that are experiencing a dramatic decline in birth rates. Life, in fact, is a priceless gift that develops within a committed relationship based on mutual self-giving and service.

"In light of this profound vision of life as a gift to be cherished, and of the family as its responsible guardian, we categorically reject any practice that denies or exploits the origin of life and its development. Among these is abortion, which cuts short a growing life and refuses to welcome the gift of life. In this regard, the Holy See expresses deep concern about projects aimed at financing cross-border mobility for the purpose of accessing the so-called 'right to safe abortion.' It also considers it deplorable that public resources are allocated to suppress life, rather than being invested to support mothers and families. 

"The primary objective must remain the protection of every unborn child and the effective and concrete support of every woman so that she is able to welcome life. The primary objective must remain the protection of every unborn child and the effective and concrete support of every woman so that she is able to welcome life." 

~Pope Leo XIV

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"In all the Dioceses of the United States of America, January 22 ... shall be observed as a particular day of prayer for the full restoration of the legal guarantee of the right to life and of penance for violations to the dignity of the human person committed through acts of abortion" (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops).