WASHINGTON, D.C., January 22, 2014 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Pope Francis praised those taking part in the U.S. March for Life in a letter to Cardinal Donald Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington, calling the march an “outstanding public witness to the right to life of the unborn.”
The letter was sent through the Vatican’s Secretary of State and read by the U.S. papal nuncio, Archbishop Vigano, at a Mass for youth in Washington on Wednesday morning.
The pope offered special thanks to youth “for their willingness to show solidarity with the most innocent and vulnerable members of our human family.”
“In this way, as responsible citizens concerned for the building of a true just and free society, they give prophetic expression to our deepest conviction about the endurable and right of each human person, beginning with the right to life,” he said.
Click “like” if you are PRO-LIFE!
“Once this conviction disappears, so do solid and lasting foundation for the defense of human rights, which will always be subject to the passing whim of the power that be,” he added.
Concluding, the pope said he would entrust them to Mary so that they would “persevere in their effort to awaken consciences and ensure other legal protection for the least of our brothers and sisters.”
Along with his letter, the pope also sent out a tweet Wednesday supporting the March for Life.
“I join the March for Life in Washington with my prayers. May God help us respect all life, especially the most vulnerable,” the Pope said from his @Pontifex feed.
The full letter, addressed to Cardinal Wuerl:
Your Eminence,
His Holiness Pope Francis sends affectionate greetings and the assuring of closeness in his prayer to the many thousands of young people throughout America gathered here at the Diocese of Washington and in the Diocese of Arlington for the annual March for Life.
He is most grateful to all those who take part in this outstanding public witness to the right to life of the unborn. He especially thanks the young people for their willingness to show solidarity with the most innocent and vulnerable members of our human family.
In this way, as responsible citizens concerned for the building of a true just and free society, they give prophetic expression to our deepest conviction about the endurable and right of each human person, beginning with the right to life.
For he has insisted, once this conviction disappears, so do solid and lasting foundation for the defense of human rights, which will always be subject to the passing whim of the power that be.
Commending all those assembled for the March for Life to the intercession of Mary, Mother of the Church, and with prayers they will persevere in their effort to awaken consciences and ensure other legal protection for the least of our brothers and sisters, the Holy Father cordially imparts the apostolic blessing as a pledge of wisdom, strength, and peace in the Lord.
SIGNED BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE