Bishop Charles Scicluna yesterday urged compassion with women who are considering abortion as a quick solution.

Quoting from Evangelii Gaudium, the Apostolic Administrator said Pope Francis spoke of defending the life of innocents in their mothers’ wombs, noting that the Church’s teachings about abortion were not negotiable.

“It wouldn’t be progressive if it expects to solve problems by destroying human life.

“But it is also true that we have not done much to effectively sympathise with women who find themselves in difficult situations where abortion seems to be the quick solution to the strong guilt feelings they have, especially when the life growing inside of them is a result of violence or within a context of extreme poverty,” Mgr Scicluna told the congregation at a Mass celebrating Jum il-Ħajja (Pro-life Day) at St John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta.

“We need to show compassion while sticking to principles without being too harsh with people in these difficult situations.”

He also spoke of the responsibility to defend other creatures which most of the time were at the discretion of economic interests.

Earlier, President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca received a delegation from the Malta Unborn Child Movement at the Palace in Valletta.

She then joined a pro-life walk, accompanied by scouts and guides, to the cathedral.