Alberta man writes open letter to Pope Francis

Mark Pickup asks Holy Father to address assisted suicide in Canada

Mark Pickup.

Pro-life activist Mark Pickup has written an open letter to the Pope on his blog Human Life Matters.

In it, he asks Pope Francis to speak out against assisted suicide in Canada, saying "perhaps words from His Holiness might persuade" governments and other organizations to protect doctors and nurses who object to the practice.

"Catholic doctors refusing to murder patients or be complicit in their murders will face harsh punishments, or move away from Canada. Catholic hospitals, auxiliary hospitals, and nursing homes will be forced to allow murder in their facilities, or get out of medical care, or adopt a policy of civil disobedience and refuse to cooperate in assisted suicide, and face persecution of the state."

The full letter can be read here. Pickup, a resident of Beaumont, Alta., is known as a vocal opponent of abortion and of assisted suicide.

"Please your Holiness. We need to hear from you," he writes.