Pope Francis: Church cannot accept abortion

STORY: In Air Pope Abortion - Pope Francis: Church cannot accept abortion

LENGTH: 02:47

FIRST RUN: 1844

RESTRICTIONS:

TYPE: Italian/Natsound

SOURCE: AP-REUTERS AGENCY POOL

STORY NUMBER: 4344209

DATELINE: 15 September - In Air

SHOTLIST:

RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

AP-REUTERS AGENCY POOL

In air - 15 September 2021

1. Pope Francis arriving in media area

2. Close of Pope Francis listening to journalist question

3. Photographer

4. SOUNDBITE (Italian) Pope Francis:

“The problem of abortion, abortion is more than a problem, abortion is murder. Abortion, without beating about the bush, if you have an abortion, you kill. You take any embryology book that medical school students study, at the third week of conception, many times before the mother knows she is pregnant, there are already all the organs, all, even the DNA. Isn’t that a person? It is a human life, and this human life must be respected. This principle is clear, to those who cannot understand it I would ask them two questions: is it right to kill a human life to solve a problem? Scientifically it is a human life. Second question: is it right to hire a hit man to solve a problem? I said this publicly to Jordi Evole (Spanish journalist who interviewed the Pope) when I did (the interview), I said it the other day to, I said it the other day to COPE (Spanish radio station Cadena de Ondas Populares Españolas), I wanted to repeat it and period. I wouldn’t go into weird questions. Scientifically it’s a human life, the books teach us that. I ask: is it right to take it out to solve a problem? That’s why the Church is so tough on this issue, because if you accept this, you accept homicide daily.”

5. Francis leaving

STORYLINE:

Pope Francis said Wednesday that abortion was the taking of a human life, something which the Catholic Church cannot accept.

Speaking aboard a flight back to Rome, he was unequivocal that abortion is murder and that even a weeks-old embryo is a human life that must be protected.

“If you have an abortion, you kill,” Francis said. “That’s why the church is so tough on this issue, because if you accept this, you accept homicide daily.”

Francis ended his first post-surgery trip in Slovakia after a four-day pilgrimage including Budapest and Hungary.

He has appeared in good form and spirits throughout the grueling itinerary, seemingly energised by the crowds after being cooped up in the Vatican for over a year of COVID-19 restrictions.

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