While the March for Life is a non-sectarian organization, we are unabashedly grateful to Pope Benedict for his ongoing advocacy for life and the dignity of the human person at all stages throughout his priesthood and his pontificate! In his honor today we share a few of our favorite B16 quotes related to building a culture of life:

On the MARCH FOR LIFE: At the 2013 March for Life, the Holy Father tweeted   “I join all those marching for life from afar, and pray that political leaders will protect the unborn and promote a culture of life.”

On abortion being a human rights abuse: “…the right to life…is a right that must be sustained by all, because it is the first fundamental right of all human rights.”

On abortion never being a positive thing for women: “…society as a whole must defend the conceived child’s right to life and the true good of the woman who can never, in any circumstances, find fulfillment in the decision to abort.”

On legislation that does not promote and protect life: “I am convinced that legislative measures which not only permit but at times even promote abortion for reasons of convenience or for questionable medical motives compromise the education of young people and, as a result, the future of humanity.”

On science and technology being at the service of life: “If the human being is reduced to an object of experimental manipulation from the very earliest stages of his development this means that biotechnological medicine has surrendered to the will of the stronger. Trust in science must not make one forget the primacy of ethics when human life is at stake.”

On the relationship between being pro-life and authentic human development: “Openness to life is at the center of true development. When a society moves towards the denial or suppression of life, it ends up no longer finding the necessary motivation and energy to strive for man’s true good. If personal and social sensitivity towards the acceptance of a new life is lost, then other forms of acceptance that are valuable for society also wither away. The acceptance of life strengthens moral fiber and makes people capable of mutual help.”

Thank you, Pope Benedict, for standing up for the goodness of life! We love you!