Francis drew attacks over clergy sexual abuse, the role of women in the church and his stance on abortion, reflecting difficulties the church faces in the West.

Returning from a four-day trip to Luxembourg and Belgium September 29, Pope Francis condemned the immorality of the bombings on Gaza and Lebanon. He also reaffirmed his comments regarding the Belgian abortion law,

I always talk about the dignity of women,’ he said on his flight back to Rome. ‘An abortion is a homicide,’ he said, adding, ‘The doctors who carry this out are hitmen.’ He also spoke of the ‘responsibility to help the abused and to take care of them