Pope Francis gave his annual speech, in which he urged the planet to “roll up our sleeves” for peace. The pontiff also added that violence against women is an affront to God.
New Year’s message on Saturday became the next wise advice of the pontiff to the whole world. Marking the 55th World Day of Peace, Pope Francis devoted his Angelus address to encouraging a stop to violence around the world, telling the assembled crowd at Saint Peter’s Square in Vatican City to keep peace at the forefront of their thoughts.
“Let’s go home thinking peace, peace, peace. We need peace,” said the head of the Roman Catholic Church, speaking from the window of the Apostolic Palace under sunny skies.
The 85-year-oldpope reminded the faithful that peace required “concrete actions,” such as attention to the most fragile, forgiving others and promoting justice.
“And it needs a positive outlook as well, one that always sees, in the Church as well as in society, not the evil that divides us, but the good that unites us!” he added.
The pontiff stressed that getting depressed or complaining is useless. “We need to roll up our sleeves to build peace,” he said and added that women ‘keep’ the world, let us all make greater efforts to promote mothers and to protect women.
“How much violence is directed against women! Enough! To hurt a woman is to insult God, who from a woman took on our humanity.”
It is the right time for the governments to develop economic policies aimed at inverting the proportion of public funds spent on education and on weaponry, Pope Francis said.
Many are frightened about the future and burdened by social problems, personal problems, dangers stemming from the ecological crisis, injustices and by global economic imbalances.
“Looking at Mary with her Son in her arms, I think of young mothers and their children fleeing wars and famine or waiting in refugee camps.”
On Friday, the Vatican cancelled the pope’s traditional visit to the Nativity Scene in Saint Peter’s Square over coronavirus concerns.
