Pope Francis started the new year with a powerful call for the defense of life, emphasizing the Catholic Church's stance against abortion. During a New Year's Day Mass at St. Peter's Basilica, he urged for a "firm commitment" to honor human life from conception to natural death.

Pope Francis ushered in the New Year with a renewed appeal for the faithful to reject abortion, calling for a “firm commitment” to protect and respect life from conception to natural death. Francis, 88,

Pope Francis started the New Year with a potent message advocating for the protection of life at all stages, from conception to natural death. During a New Year's Day Mass, he emphasized respecting human dignity and denounced abortion as 'homicidal,

In it, Pope Francis called on all nations to eliminate the death penalty, to divert a fixed percentage of arms spending to a global fund to fight hunger and climate change, to cancel the international debt of developing nations and to respect human life.

Pope Francis called for the protection of life at New Year’s Day Mass on Wednesday, offering a seemingly anti-abortion message. “Let us entrust this new year to Mary, Mother of God,” Francis said in his homily at Saint Peter’s Basilica.

The Mass also marked the Jubilee Year, launched on Christmas, with Francis noting that 'Mary is the door through which Christ entered this world,' quoting St. Ambrose.