Pope: Abortion a Symptom of "Throw-Away Culture"

Comes shortly after he criticized the Catholic Church's obsession with "small-minded rules"

VATICAN CITY (AP) -- Pope Francis offered an olive branch of sorts to the doctrine-minded, conservative wing of the Catholic Church on Friday as he denounced abortions as a symptom of today's "throw-away culture" and encouraged Catholic doctors to refuse to perform them.

Francis issued a strong anti-abortion message and cited Vatican teaching on the need to defend the unborn during an audience with Catholic gynecologists.