Pope Francis looks down as he leads holy mass at Sir John Guise Stadium in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, on September 8, 2024. Tiziana Fabi, AFP/File

Pope Francis looks down as he leads holy mass at Sir John Guise Stadium in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, on September 8, 2024. - Pope Francis is leading holy mass at the Sir Guise Stadium during his four day visit to Papua New Guinea from September 6-9. (Photo by Tiziana FABI / AFP)

Pope Francis

Agence France-Presse

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1726271391513AFP__20240907__36FT6B8__v3__Preview__TopshotPngVaticanPopeReligion.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Pope Francis looks down as he leads holy mass at Sir John Guise Stadium in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, on September 8, 2024. Tiziana Fabi, AFP/File"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Pope Francis looks down as he leads holy mass at Sir John Guise Stadium in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, on September 8, 2024. <em>Tiziana Fabi, AFP/File</em></span></span></span>ROME, Italy -- Pope Francis on Friday accused both Donald Trump and Kamala Harris of being &quot;against life&quot; as he returned to Rome from an epic 12-day tour of the Asia-Pacific.</div><p>The 87-year-old pontiff&#x27;s comments on the US presidential hopefuls came as he defied health concerns to connect with believers from the jungle of Papua New Guinea to the skyscrapers of Singapore.</p><p>It was Francis&#x27;s longest trip in duration and distance since becoming head of the world&#x27;s nearly 1.4 billion Roman Catholics more than 11 years ago.</p><p>And despite the marathon visit he held a long and spirited discussion with journalists onboard the papal plane returning from Singapore after his rapturous welcomes in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and East Timor.</p><p>Asked about the looming US elections in November, he noted Trump&#x27;s anti-immigrant policies and Harris&#x27;s support for abortion rights.</p><p>&quot;Both are against life. The one who discards migrants and the one who kills children. Both are against life,&quot; he said.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/world/2024/9/11/trump-and-harris-meet-in-high-stakes-debate-946">READ: Harris takes fight to Trump in fiery presidential debate</a></div><p>Former president Trump has promised to round up illegal immigrants and deport them as he seeks to return to the White House in the looming November election.</p><p>He also paved the way for a 2022 US Supreme Court ruling that overturned Roe v Wade, the 1973 ruling that made abortion a national right for women -- a right that Harris has pledged to restore.</p><p>&quot;One has to choose the lesser of two evils. Who is the lesser evil? That lady or that gentleman? I don&#x27;t know. Everyone have to think and make this decision according to their conscience,&quot; Francis said.</p><p>In Washington, Karine Jean-Pierre, spokeswoman for President Joe Biden -- himself a Roman Catholic -- said that &quot;obviously the pope speaks for himself, and I don&#x27;t have any more comments.&quot;</p><p>&quot;I have not spoken to the president about the pope&#x27;s specific comments on this coming election,&quot; she said.</p><div><strong>- Return from Asia -</strong></div><div><ivs-player data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-vid="3068666"></ivs-player> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script></div><p>During his flight back to Rome, Francis also rejected media speculation by saying he would not travel to Paris in December for the reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral, which was partially destroyed by a fire in April 2019.</p><p>He also deplored a lack of progress in negotiations to end the war in Gaza.</p><p>&quot;Forgive me for saying so but I don&#x27;t see any progress being made towards peace,&quot; he told reporters.</p><p>The Argentine pope&#x27;s epic four-nation voyage was believed by some to be foolhardy after years of health issues, from knee pain and sciatica forcing him to use a wheelchair to recent bouts of flu and bronchitis.</p><p>But the voyage clearly energized the pope -- who nevertheless at times struggled to keep his eyes open during late-night liturgical readings, or to appear engaged during formal military parades.</p><p>In a lively, final inter-religious meeting in Singapore on Friday, Francis joked with young people in the audience, urging them to respect other beliefs, avoid being &quot;slaves&quot; to technology and to escape their comfort zones.</p><p>&quot;Don&#x27;t let your stomach get fat, but let your head get fat,&quot; the pope said, raising a laugh from the crowd.</p><p>&quot;I say take risks, go out there,&quot; he said. &quot;A young person that is afraid and does not take risks is an old person.&quot;</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/world/2024/9/11/pope-lands-in-singapore-final-stop-on-grand-asia-pacific-tour-036">READ: Pope lands in Singapore, final stop on grand Asia-Pacific tour</a></div><div><strong>- &#x27;Superstition and magic&#x27; -</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EkJrCepVHH8?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span>But neither the pace -- 16 speeches and up to eight hours of time difference -- nor the heat, nor multiple meetings forced any rescheduling of Francis&#x27;s international odyssey.</div><p>On a trip that took him to the outer edges of the Catholic Church&#x27;s world, the pope delivered a sometimes uncomfortable message for leaders not to forget the poor and marginalized.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/world/2024/9/13/pope-defies-health-fears-on-historic-asia-pacific-tour-1026">READ: Pope defies health fears on historic Asia-Pacific tour</a></div><p>In Indonesia, the world&#x27;s most populous Muslim-majority state, he visited Jakarta&#x27;s Istiqlal Mosque to deliver a joint message against conflict and climate change.</p><p>In sweltering Papua New Guinea, one of the Pacific&#x27;s poorest and most troubled nations, he donned a Bird of Paradise headdress in a remote jungle village where he told inhabitants to halt violence and renounce &quot;superstition and magic.&quot;</p><p>Addressing political and business leaders, he said the country&#x27;s vast natural resources should benefit the &quot;entire community&quot; -- a demand likely to resound in a nation where many believe their riches are being stolen or squandered.</p><p>And in staunchly Roman Catholic East Timor, nearly half the population, or about 600,000 ecstatic believers, showed up in the tropical heat to a celebration of mass on the island&#x27;s coast.</p><div><strong>- &#x27;Deeply touched&#x27; -</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/carYsO5LtIo?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span>During his last leg in Singapore, Francis called for migrant workers -- who provide cheap labor in the affluent city-state and elsewhere around the world -- to be treated with dignity.</div><p>&quot;These workers contribute a great deal to society and should be guaranteed a fair wage,&quot; Francis said.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/world/2024/9/12/pope-says-migrant-workers-need-a-fair-wage-1352">READ: Pope says migrant workers need &#x27;a fair wage&#x27;</a></div><p>Sandra Ross, 55, a church administrator in Singapore, said she was still &quot;feeling the warmth and joy&quot; after attending a mass led by the pope.</p><p>&quot;I was deeply touched by Pope Francis&#x27;s courage and dedication to his mission, despite his health challenges. His spirit and enthusiasm are truly inspiring,&quot; she said.</p><p>The pope will not sit still for long after his voyage, with a four-day trip to Luxembourg and Belgium starting September 26.</p><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div><div><br/></div>

<p>Pope Francis on Friday accused both Donald Trump and Kamala Harris of being "against life" as he returned to Rome from an epic 12-day tour of the Asia-Pacific.</p>

Pope Francis on Friday accused both Donald Trump and Kamala Harris of being "against life" as he returned to Rome from an epic 12-day tour of the Asia-Pacific.

Pope says Trump, Harris 'against life' as Asia tour ends

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Pope says Trump, Harris 'against life' as Asia tour ends

Agence France-Presse,

Clément Melki

Published Sep 14, 2024 08:28 AM PHT

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Pope Francis

women's health

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