Pope Francis stresses opposition to abortion: It's like “hiring a hitman”

Pope Francis is standing his ground when it comes to abortion, saying on Saturday the procedure should not ever be condoned, reports the AP.

“Is it licit to throw away a life to resolve a problem? Is it licit to hire a hitman to resolve a problem?”

What he's saying: Against the backdrop of a reignited debate in the U.S. — with state initiatives working to limit or ban the procedure — the Pope said the dispute over "abortion isn’t a religious issue but a human one," and urges doctors and families to avoid them, regardless of prenatal testing results, even if the baby is likely to die shortly after birth, per AP. “Taking care of these children helps parents to grieve and not only think of it as a loss, but as a step on a path taken together,” Francis said.

Go deeper: Where abortion restriction stands: The states that have passed laws