Pope Leo XIV defends the right to life from the conception to natural death

The right to life is being under attack in many countries through the normalization of abortion and euthanasia.

Saint John Paul II and the Catholic Church in the face of abortion: a few words to reflect
Leo XIV claims “the dignity of every person”, including “the unborn”

The Catholic Church has been firmly defending that right. Pope Saint John Paul II issued a clear warning about attacks on human life in memorable words included in the Encyclical Evangelium Vitae, published on March 25, 1995: "We are facing an enormous and dramatic clash between good and evil, death and life, the "culture of death" and the "culture of life". We find ourselves not only "faced with" but necessarily "in the midst of" this conflict: we are all involved and we all share in it, with the inescapable responsibility of choosing to be unconditionally pro-life."

The current Pope, Leo XIV, has been emphasizing the sacredness of human life from conception. He did so before being elected Pope and has continued to do so since. This Friday, in a message posted on his Twitter account, Leo XIV stated:

"The Catholic Church has consistently taught that each human life, from the moment of conception until natural death, is sacred and deserves to be protected. Indeed, the right to life is the very foundation of every other human right. For this reason, only when a society safeguards the sanctity of human life will it flourish and prosper."

On December 10, 2025, in a meeting with Members of the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group in the Clementine Hall of Vatican City, Leo XIV had already recalled "the rich ethical principles and patterns of thought that are the intellectual patrimony of Christian Europe. These are essential for safeguarding the divinely bestowed rights and inherent worth of every human person, from conception to natural death."

As I have been insisting for years, this issue of the defense of life is one of the most important debates of our time. Unfortunately, it has disappeared from the agendas of the vast majority of politicians and parties, and often in many parishes it is not even discussed, as if it were a taboo subject. That is why I thank the Pope for his words and applaud them. Counting Stars has as one of its aims the defense of the right to life from conception to natural death, and from here I will continue to insist on this issue even though many forget it.

---

Photo: Vatican Media.