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    Pope Francis Criticizes U.S. Policies on Immigration and Abortion, Urges Catholics to Vote with Conscience

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    Pope Francis, fresh from his grueling travels through Southeast Asia and Oceania, didn’t hold back when asked about the political landscape in the United States. Without directly naming names, the pontiff made his disapproval of both Donald Trump and Kamala Harris’ policies clear—policies that, in his view, go against the very essence of life. He didn’t sugarcoat it either. On one hand, he criticized the stance on immigration as “chasing away migrants,” while, on the other, he equated the defense of abortion rights to “killing children.”

    The pope, now 87, made no attempt to hide his discomfort with either candidate. But he didn’t call for inaction, urging Catholics to make their voices heard at the ballot box. “Not voting is ugly,” he said… a straightforward appeal to anyone thinking of sitting this one out. Yet, he didn’t lean toward either candidate specifically—rather, he left it up to the conscience of each voter, asking them to weigh the options and choose what he called “the lesser evil.”

    Immigration and abortion—topics that stir strong feelings on both sides of the aisle in the U.S.—were at the heart of his comments. Trump’s promise to crack down on illegal immigration and his hardline stance on migrants have been a point of contention for years. The Pope wasn’t about to gloss over this, calling the refusal to offer shelter to those in need a “grave sin.” It wasn’t the first time Francis took a stance on this issue, often citing the Bible’s calls to care for the orphan, the widow, and the foreigner as moral imperatives.

    Meanwhile, Harris—known for her staunch support of abortion rights—was also on the receiving end of the Pope’s stern rebuke. Francis didn’t mince words, describing abortion as an act of violence. “It’s an assassination,” he said flatly, offering no wiggle room on the Church’s long-standing opposition to the practice. In his eyes, there could be no justification, no “but” or “however.”

    For the roughly 52 million Catholics in America, many of whom find themselves in key battleground states like Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, these words carry weight. They are a group that often walks a tightrope, balancing religious teachings with the messy realities of modern-day politics. Francis’ words don’t make that balancing act any easier. On the one hand, there is the issue of life in the womb, and on the other, the dignity and rights of migrants—both pillars of Catholic social teaching.

    The Church has long positioned itself against abortion, and with the recent Dobbs decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, which overturned national protections for abortion access, the stakes have only grown. Harris, for her part, has made clear she intends to restore those protections should Congress pass the necessary legislation. Trump, meanwhile, has continued to press forward with his promises to clamp down on immigration, including hints at bringing back detention centers for those crossing into the U.S. illegally.

    Francis sees both policies as rooted in a rejection of life. In his worldview, life must be protected at every stage, whether in the womb or at a country’s border. “Both are against life,” he said, laying out his moral framework. Immigration, as he’s said many times before, is not a privilege, but a right. To deny migrants the chance to start anew in a foreign land, he believes, is to strip them of their dignity. And abortion? That, he says, is the ultimate denial of life itself.

    The U.S. bishops, in their regular guidance issued during presidential cycles, have consistently highlighted abortion as a “preeminent priority” for Catholics, a stance Francis himself has reinforced. Yet, the pontiff’s comments on immigration push the faithful to grapple with a broader view of what it means to defend life.

    Ultimately, Francis didn’t offer a roadmap for how to vote in November. He didn’t name the “lesser evil,” leaving that task to the individual conscience of every Catholic voter. The weight of his words, however, lingers. It’s a reminder that the decisions made at the polls aren’t just political—they’re deeply moral choices, with real consequences for the most vulnerable among us. And as the aging pontiff made his way back to Rome, the question of how to balance these issues remained… without easy answers.

    Major Points

    • Pope Francis expressed strong disapproval of both Donald Trump’s immigration policies and Kamala Harris’ support of abortion rights, emphasizing their opposition to the value of life.
    • Francis condemned the refusal to welcome migrants as a “grave sin” and described abortion as “an assassination,” reaffirming the Church’s opposition to both practices.
    • The Pope urged Catholics to vote but refrained from endorsing a candidate, instead advising them to choose the “lesser evil” in line with their conscience.
    • His remarks resonate deeply with the 52 million Catholics in the U.S., especially in key battleground states, highlighting the complex moral choices they face in the upcoming election.
    • Francis’ comments challenge voters to navigate both issues—life at the border and in the womb—within the broader framework of Catholic social teaching.

    Kirk Volo – Reprinted with permission of Whatfinger News

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