VATICAN CITY (Reuters) -Pope Benedict on Sunday renewed his appeal to Catholics to reject abortion and euthanasia, saying life was God-given and could not be cut short under "the guise of human compassion."
His appeal came days after an Italian doctor who switched off the life support of a paralyzed man at the center of a euthanasia battle was cleared of wrongdoing by a medical panel.
"Life, which is the work of God, cannot be negated by anyone, neither at the very young and indefensible unborn stage, nor when grave disabilities are present," he said in his weekly address to pilgrims and tourists in St. Peter's Square.
Speaking on the Italian Catholic Church's "Day for Life," he said humanity could not legitimize euthanasia or be "fooled" into justifying it "under the guise of human compassion."
Euthanasia is a deeply divisive issue in overwhelmingly Catholic Italy, where it is illegal and carries a jail term of up to 15 years.
The issue was back in the spotlight last month when Italian doctor Mario Riccio disconnected the life support of Piergiorgio Welby, who was paralyzed for many years by muscular dystrophy and had asked to die.
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