Pope Francis made a strong appeal for peace yesterday, calling modern warfare “a crime against humanity” that sows death among civilians and destroys cities. Source: National Catholic Register.
Speaking at the end of his Angelus address yesterday, the Pope urged people to pray for all who are suffering due to “the cruelty of war,” especially in Ukraine, Palestine and Israel.
“We pray that those who have power over these conflicts will reflect that war is not the way to resolve them because it sows death among civilians and destroys cities and infrastructure. In other words, war today is in itself a crime against humanity,” Pope Francis said.
“Let’s not forget this: War itself is a crime against humanity. People need peace. The world needs peace.”
The Pope shared how he was moved by a testimony by a Franciscan priest in the Holy Land on a television program on Sunday morning.
He said that he had seen Fr Ibrahim Faltas, an Egyptian priest who serves as vicar of the Custody of the Holy Land, speaking on the Italian television show A Sua Immagine (“In His image”) about the importance of “education for peace”.
Pope Francis added that all of humanity is in need of “an education to stop every war.”
“Let us always pray for this grace: to educate for peace,” he said.
During his Angelus address, the 87-year-old Pope appeared energetic and read his entire speech without assistance – two days after saying in one of his audiences late last week that he had “a bit of bronchitis”.
FULL STORY
Pope Francis: ‘War Itself Is a Crime Against Humanity; People Need Peace’ (By Courtney Mares, CNA via National Catholic Register)
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Pope Francis: ‘War is a crime against humanity’ (Vatican News)
