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Correct. The Pope can only speak infallibly on the subject of faith and morals. Therefore, when the Pope says abortion is a mortal sin, it is a mortal sin whether or not someone in their conscience can justify it.

Has the pope spoken infallibly on abortion? I was under the impression that he hadn't.

But assuming the teaching on abortion is considered infallible, if the pope's infallibility is only valid in areas having to do with faith and morals, then can't a catholic take a pro-choice position (which is a political position concerning the level of legal restriction on the activity) and at the same time adhere to the church's teaching by reserving a personal moral opposition to the act of abortion? After all, I don't think that very many catholics wish to turn every last moral teaching in the catechism into secular law.

Abortion is a mortal sin because abortion is the killing of an innocent human person and therefore against one of the ten commandments. I don't know if any Pope has spoken infallibly on abortion per se, but I know that the Church has opposed abortion (before it was called abortion) from its earliest days.

Your second question is a moot point in light of the fact that abortion breaks one of the ten commandments. No Catholic can remain in good standing and encourage others to have an abortion, either personally or by supporting their "legal right" to have an abortion, regardless of one's own personal feelings regarding abortion. Catholics may be torn on this issue, and I'm sure many are. In that case, they must pray for understanding and wisdom to accept the teachings of the Church, which are handed down by God and through His Son, Jesus Christ. But they can not actively oppose the teachings of the Church.

I have a big problem, personally, with people who say they are personally pro-life (they would never have an abortion themselves), but say they "support a woman's right to choose". My first question: Why are they pro-life? Why would they never have an abortion themselves? The answer has to be one of two things: either they believe the unborn child is in fact a human being from the earliest days of conception; or, they want to support the teaching of their church (Catholic and many other Christian denominations oppose abortion). If they believe the unborn are, in fact, human beings, how can they support anyone else killing this human being? If they don't believe the unborn are human beings, then why support the teaching of the church? Wouldn't they think the church was in error?

Catholic and pro-life Protestant churches believe abortion is wrong because abortion takes the life of an innocent human person. Therefore, under no circumstances, would it be OK for ANYONE to take that innocent life.

Our society has really become hardened in our view of life. Life has become expendable. Women struggle with the "decision" to abort because they have no support -- their boyfriends and mothers are pressuring them "not to ruin their life" and they receive little support and comfort. Yes, they made a mistake ... but should one mistake mean they need to make a greater mistake? One that not only torments their emotional well-being, but their eternal soul?

God bless.