Pope Leo has issued one of his strongest appeals yet against war, polarisation and social division, urging believers to foster dialogue and friendship in a fractured world. Source: Canberra Times.
Speaking to tens of thousands in the Italian city of Rimini on Saturday, Leo warned against a culture that “rearms minds, words and nations” and argued that Christians must respond with mercy, encounter and a commitment to peace.
He also delivered a message of encouragement to young Catholics, telling them they are “a sign that the future is promising, and not a threat!”
Earlier on Saturday in San Marino, Leo addressed local authorities of the world’s oldest surviving republic, warning that modern societies face increasing threats from violence, social fragmentation and ideologies that put self-interest ahead of the common good.
He urged Christians to respond through forgiveness, solidarity and concern for the vulnerable.
Later, Leo addressed the annual Rimini Meeting for Friendship Among Peoples – a major Catholic cultural festival organised by the Communion and Liberation movement – urging Catholics to respond to a world marked by war, division and inequality with dialogue, friendship and encounter.
He said peace is built by people “who love to encounter one another and are not afraid to engage with one another”, arguing that human dignity must come before political, social and ideological divisions.
In some of his strongest comments to date on global tensions, he warned against what he described as a growing culture of confrontation and militarisation.
Christians should recognise “there can be no enemies,” and that even opponents are “a brother or sister to be looked in the eye and encountered in truth,” Leo added.
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‘There can be no enemies’: Pope urges dialogue over war (By Giada Zampano and Niccilo Lupone, AAP via Canberra Times)
