Pope's message affirms the work of Precious Life
Precious Life expressed their deep gratitude in a “Thank You” to Pope Francis after he affirmed our work in his message calling on Christians “to take the side of unborn children” and “free women from pressure to seek abortion”
Precious Life's mission is to create a society that respects and protects the dignity of the unborn child, and a society where no woman feels pressured to choose abortion. Our mission statement is to “Make Abortion Unthinkable!”
In his message to the Italian Movement for Life – and by extension to the pro-life movement around the world - Pope Francis said unborn children represent every person who has no voice.
As Pope Francis recovers from bilateral pneumonia at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin read the message on the Pope’s behalf on Saturday at Mass for the pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Basilica.
“Continue to place your trust in women, in their capacity for welcome, generosity, and courage,” said Pope Francis in his message. “Women must be able to count on the support of the entire civil and ecclesial community.”
The Pope added that the Church seeks to counter society’s message by promoting the dignity of the human person and prioritizing those who are weakest in the world’s eyes.
“The unborn child represents, in the fullest sense, every man and woman who does not count, who has no voice,” he said. “Taking their side means standing in solidarity with all the discarded of the world.”
Pope Francis called on Christians everywhere to foster a “civilization of love,” which frees women “from the pressures that push them not to give birth to their child”.
He said it takes a “gaze of the heart” to recognize unborn children as “one of us.”
The Pope praised the Italian Movement for Life, which runs several centers similar to Precious Life’s Stanton Project that assist women with difficult pregnancies or who are under pressure to seek an abortion.
This work, he said, promotes a culture of life “with frankness, love, and tenacity, closely uniting truth with charity toward all.”
Pope Francis called on everyone to dedicate themselves to the service of human life, especially when it is most fragile and vulnerable. He urged all those who seek to promote life to “advance the social protection of motherhood and the acceptance of human life in all its stages.”
“[Life] is sacred, created by God for a great and beautiful destiny,” he said. “A just society is not built by eliminating unwanted unborn children, elderly people who are no longer self-sufficient, or terminally ill patients.”
In conclusion, Pope Francis prayed that the Blessed Virgin Mary may watch over those who promote human life, and he asked them to continue to pray for him and his health.
The Pope’s call to foster a "civilisation of love" is at the heart of our work, which recognising the unborn as part of our human family and provides real, life-affirming support to mothers in need. As the Pope powerfully stated, a just society is not built by discarding the most vulnerable; it is built by protecting and cherishing them.
We were especially moved by the Pope’s reminder that women should be able to rely on the support of the entire community. At Precious Life, we work tirelessly to ensure that no woman walks alone and that every child has the chance to fulfill their "great and beautiful destiny" given by God.
Precious Life continue promoting a culture of life with love, truth, and perseverance. We pray for Pope Francis’ full recovery and ask that the Blessed Virgin Mary watch over him, just as he have prayed for all who defend life.