Pope Francis ushered in the New Year with an appeal for the faithful to reject abortion, calling for a “firm commitment” to protect and respect life from conception to natural death.

"May we learn to care for every child born of a woman, above all by protecting, like Mary, the precious gift of life: life in the womb, the lives of children, the lives of the suffering, the poor, the elderly,

Protecting life, caring for wounded life, restoring dignity to the life of every ‘born of woman’ is the fundamental basis for building a civilization of peace,” Francis said.

A driver crashed his pickup truck into a crowd celebrating New Year's Day in New Orleans' French Quarter and opened fire, killing 10 people and injuring more than 35, in an early morning attack the FBI said was a potential act of terrorism.

Pope Francis called for the protection of life at New Year’s Day Mass on Wednesday, offering a seemingly anti-abortion message. “Let us entrust this new year to Mary, Mother of God,” Francis said in his homily at Saint Peter’s Basilica.