Pope Francis attends the Mass of Christ at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, March 28, 2024.
Guglielmo Mangiapane | Reuters
Pope Francis on Friday criticized both former US President Donald Trump for his plan to deport millions of immigrants and Vice President Kamala Harris for her stance on abortion rights.
Asked about the US presidential election on his flight from Singapore to Rome, the Pope said not welcoming immigrants was a “grave” sin and likened abortion to “murder”.
He said U.S. Catholics should “choose the lesser evil” when they vote in November, without elaborating.
Francis was speaking at a press conference with reporters after a demanding 12-day tour across Southeast Asia and Oceania. Although the pope did not use the names of Trump and Harris, he specifically referred to their policies and their genders. Despite criticism of both candidates, he said Catholics should vote.
“Not voting is ugly,” the 87-year-old pontiff said. “It’s not good. You have to vote.”
“You have to choose the lesser evil,” he said. “Who is the lesser evil? This lady or this gentleman? I don’t know. Everyone, in their conscience, (must) think and do this.”
American Catholics, numbering about 52 million nationally, are often seen as critical voters. In some battleground states, including Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, more than 20% of adults are Catholic.
Francis, leader of some 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide, is usually cautious about national political elections. But he often criticizes abortion, which is forbidden by Catholic teaching, in sharp words. He has also criticized Trump’s anti-immigration rhetoric in the past. During the 2016 election, he said Trump was “not Christian” in his views.
On Friday, Francis said the policies of both candidates are “anti-life.”
“Either he is the one who expels immigrants, or he is the one who kills children,” the Pope said. “Both are anti-life.”
Trump has promised to crack down on illegal immigration and deport millions of immigrants already in the US if elected to a second term as president. He also refused to rule out the construction of detention camps for undocumented immigrants.
Harris has pledged to sign any legislation passed by Congress to restore national protections for abortion access, which were struck down by the Supreme Court in its 2022 Dobbs decision.
The two candidates sparred on both issues Wednesday in their first joint debate. Most polls show a tight race, with Harris slightly ahead.
The Pope called immigration a “right,” citing Bible passages that call orphans, widows and foreigners three types of people society should care for.
“Not welcoming immigrants is a sin,” the Pope said. “It’s serious.”
Francis said abortion “kills a person.” He said there can be no excuses for an abortion. “It’s a murder,” he said. “These things must be spoken plainly. No ‘buts’ or ‘howevers.’
Balancing political priorities has been a topic of discussion among the US bishops, who have issued similar electoral guidance every presidential cycle since 2007-08, with some updates.
Their latest edition, released with a new introduction in November 2023, says the “threat of abortion” is a “top priority” for Catholics.
