That moment in his address to Congress when the Pope . . .

[markpkessinger]

8. I don't think he intended to be cute or funny . . .

Whether or not one agrees with the Church's stance on reproductive rights -- and I do not agree with it -- one had to expect that a pope (any pope) would reaffirm it. What this Pope did, however, was to find a way to reaffirm it that, at the same time, (a) reminded his hearers that the Church's teaching regarding the sacredness of human life extends to ALL human life, including post-birth, and extends even to the most despised of human life, that of condemned criminals; and (b) pointed out the utter hypocrisy of those who are all too willing to claim the Church's teaching in support of their opposition to a woman's right to choose, yet enthusiastically support capital punishment and advocate economic policies that undermine human dignity.