HOW POPE FRANCIS APPEALS FOR 'A JUST PEACE' FOR NATIONS AT WAR, APPEAL FOR PRAYERS (898 hits)
For Immediate Release From Vatican News!
"Pope: Peace Is Built With Listening, Not Weapons"
In a message sent to the 6th Paris Peace Forum, Pope Francis says that “no war is worth the tears of a mother who sees her child killed.”
By Joseph Tulloch
Pope Francis has sent a message to the 6th Paris Peace Forum, saying that peace “is built not with weapons, but with patient listening.”
The Forum brings together government representatives, international organisations, and civil society groups for two days of discussions.
In his message, signed by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and read aloud to participants by Archbishop Celestino Migliore, Apostolic Nuncio to France, Pope Francis highlighted the indispensability of dialogue to peace processes, and underlined the close connection between peace and respect for human rights.
Dialogue: the only path to avert war
Peace, the Pope stressed in his message, “is built not with weapons, but with patient listening, dialogue and cooperation, which remain the only means of resolving disputes which is worthy of the human person.”
For this reason, Pope Francis said, fora like the one in Paris, “whose mission is to strengthen dialogue between all continents”, have an important role to play in building a “more just, united and peaceful world.”
He thus expressed his hope that the forum would “encourage sincere dialogue, based on listening to the cries of all those who suffer.”
Group photo of participants in the Paris Peace Forum Group photo of participants in the Paris Peace Forum War: A defeat for humanity
A key theme of the Pope's message was the denunciation of all wars, even those fought legitimately, in self-defence.
“While reaffirming the inalienable right to legitimate defense as well as the responsibility to protect those whose existence is threatened,” Pope Francis said, “we must admit that war is always a defeat for humanity.”
“No war is worth the tears of a mother who sees her child mutilated or killed,” he stressed. “No war is worth the loss of even one person, a sacred being created in the likeness of the Creator.”
“No war is worth the poisoning of our common home. No war is worth the despair of those who are forced to leave their homeland.”
Peace-building and human rights
In his message, Pope Francis also emphasised the close relationship between peacebuilding and human rights.
“A lasting peace,” he stressed, “is built day by day by the recognition, respect, and promotion of human dignity and fundamental rights.”
However, Pope Francis noted, although 2023 marks 75 years since the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, “millions of people on every continent” are still “deprived of the fundamental and primary right to life and to physical and mental integrity.”
Other rights which are very often not guaranteed but which would be necessary for the construction of lasting world peace, Pope Francis said, include the rights to drinking water and healthy food, freedom of religion, health, decent housing, quality education, and decent work.
Conclusion
Bringing his message to a close, the Pope expressed his hope that exchanges at the Forum would be “rich and fruitful.”
“May they,” he said, “enable you to listen to and encounter everyone in the richness of their diversity, so as to foster a culture of peace, and make real progress toward constructing fraternity.”
"Pope Francis Appeals For 'A Just Peace' For Nations At War"
Appealing for action and prayers for all peoples suffering the consequences of war, Pope Francis invokes "just peace" and reiterates his belief that war is always a defeat.
By Linda Bordoni
Appealing, yet again, for attention and prayers for peoples across the globe who are subjected to war and are suffering its consequences, Pope Francis said, “Let us not forget martyred Ukraine and let us think of the Palestinian and Israeli peoples: may the Lord bring a just peace.”
“There is so much suffering,” he said, as he neared the end of his weekly General Audience.
“There is so much suffering.”
“Children are suffering; the sick are suffering, and many young people are dying,” the Pope continued. “War is always a defeat. Let us not forget: War is always a defeat.”
“Let us not forget: war is always a defeat.”
Pope Francis has made constant appeals for peace and for negotiated solutions to conflicts across the world, never neglecting to mention and to pray for those suffering from violence and displacement in Ukraine since the Russian invasion over 18 months ago.
He has also made reiterated appeals for a ceasefire, for the release of hostages, and for the entry of humanitarian aid into the besieged Gaza Strip, since the beginning of violent hostilities between Hamas and Israel on 7 October 2023.
Fr. Patton: May Pope’s Appeals For Holy Land Touch Hearts of World Leaders
Following Pope Francis’ renewed appeal for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war, the Custos of the Holy Land highlights the power of prayer for peace and urges world leaders to heed the Pope’s pleas.
By Andrea De Angelis and Roberto Cetera
Father Francesco Patton, the Custos of the Holy Land, has expressed his appreciation for Pope Francis’ most recent appeal for peace, pronounced at the Angelus prayer on Sunday.
“In God’s name, I beg you to stop: cease fire!” appealed the Pope. “I hope that avenues will be pursued so that an escalation of the conflict might be absolutely avoided”.
Sensitivity of children to suffering
Fr. Patton, who listened live to the broadcast of the Angelus, told Vatican News that he hopes the Pope’s appeal will "touch the consciences" of world leaders.
“The Pope's words first made me think about yesterday's event here in Jerusalem," he said, “where children were praying for peace.”
Israelis and Palestinians, Christians and Muslims joined together on Saturday morning at the Terra Sancta School in Jerusalem to pray for peace.
"I was struck by the prayer of a 5-year-old girl, who was praying, concerned, for her father. This fear will mark not only her childhood but probably her entire life,’ said Fr. Patton.
He added that the empathy shown by children "is probably greater than that of adults. Children have managed to recognize that suffering is experienced by everyone."
The atmosphere in Jerusalem, he noted, "remains surreal. There is palpable fear, and there are feelings of hatred and anger mixed with helplessness and pain,” he said, “which makes the need for our prayers and the need for peaceful solutions stand out even more, allowing for the protection of civilian populations, especially children.”
Cloudy future
Fr. Patton also reflected on the enormous tragedy of those who have lost their lives, noting that "at the beginning," referring to 7 October, "there was a horrible slaughter of Israeli civilians living around the Gaza Strip, with thousands of victims and 250 kidnapped.”
Now, in Gaza, he added, “we are close to 10,000 deaths, of which nearly half are children.”
“This is a tragedy that should touch the consciences of everyone, even those in power in this world, men and women who can also have a strong influence on immediate and future decisions,” he said.
The elderly in the Holy Land were also on his mind, as they endure the drama of the Israel-Hamas war that began almost a month ago.
“Their concern is for their children and grandchildren. They don't think about their future but that of their loved ones," said Fr. Patton. "I've seen this not only in Gaza but also here in Israel. Several older people no longer see a great future for their children and grandchildren and invite them to leave the country to try to build a life elsewhere.”
Amid the gathering tragedy, this feeling of helplessness adds a further element of seriousness, "even for the Christian community because it means seeing the Christian presence in the Middle East diminish."
News from Catholic parish in Gaza
Around 700 people are still sheltering in the Holy Family Catholic Parish in Gaza.
Fr. Patton said the latest information he had received was of “loud explosions that hit nearby” the Church compound.
One of the blasts,” added the Custos of the Holy Land, “even hit in the premises of the school run by the nuns."
Fr. Patton concluded the interview by recalling a video made by the children in the Gaza parish in which they invited children meeting with the Pope on Monday to pray for peace.
He said the children’s video shows “the side of Christian hope.”
Pope Renews Appeals for Ceasefire in Holy Land, Release of Hostages
Pope Francis renews his appeal for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war, and prays for people suffering from wars in various parts of the world, including in Ukraine. By Devin Watkins and Nathan Morley
“May we think about the children, all the children involved in this war, as well as in Ukraine and other conflicts: we are killing their future in this way.”
Pope Francis made that appeal for an end to the war in the Holy Land on Sunday at the Angelus prayer.
“I implore you to stop, in the name of God,” he said, adding: “Cease fire!”
The Pope expressed his hopes that “every possible avenue is pursued to absolutely avoid an escalation of the conflict, to provide assistance to the wounded, and to deliver aid to the population of Gaza, where the humanitarian situation is extremely dire.”
He also called for the release of the over 200 Israeli hostages who were taken during Hamas’ deadly incursion on 7 October.
“Among them are also many children; may they return to their families!” he appealed.
Pope Francis concluded his appeal by inviting everyone to gather the courage to end the war.
“Let's pray that we have the strength to say 'enough’,” he said.
Situation in Gaza
Israel is continuing to press its offensive against Hamas militants in Gaza, urging civilians in the northern part of the territory to move to the south.
On the ground, the Palestinian Red Crescent says 15 people were killed when an ambulance was struck outside Gaza City's biggest hospital. According to reports, Israel said it hit an ambulance that was being used by Hamas.
Israel began bombing Gaza after Hamas killed more than 1,400 people in Israel and kidnapped more than 200 others.
Meanwhile, the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met on Sunday with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the occupied West Bank.
Earlier, on Saturday, Mr. Blinken encountered leaders from Lebanon, Qatar and Jordan in Amman, as he seeks a humanitarian pauses in the fighting.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said there will be no temporary ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza until all Israeli hostages are released.
Speaking to the press, Mr. Blinken has offered his condolences over the deaths of United Nations aid workers in Gaza who have been killed since the war with Israel erupted.
Israeli and Palestinian Children Recite St Francis' Prayer for Peace
Father Ibrahim Faltas, Vicar of the Custody of the Holy Land, shares the hopes, the pain for so many of their peers who have died in Gaza, and the commitment of the children of the Holy Land for peace.
By Francesca Sabatinelli and Roberto Cetera
Muslim and Christian children, all students at the Franciscan school in Jerusalem, gathered to draw, write and pray together on Saturday morning.
Together, they called for an end to the war. 400 children and teenagers, aged between three and eighteen, pleaded for an end to the violence and stood united against hatred and death as their land is destroyed.
Father Ibrahim Faltas, the Franciscan Vicar of the Custody of the Holy Land in Jerusalem, explains that it was he who invited the children to get together to express their opposition to the war and says he asked them to paint some of the walls of Jerusalem, giving shape and colour to their thoughts and hopes.
One painting shows Jesus, together with some children, one of whom has a sad expression, as requested by Father Faltas himself, "because it represents all the children of the Holy Land: in Gaza, Jenin, Nablus, Tel Aviv, Jaffa, because all the children of the Holy Land, both Palestinian and Israeli, are suffering from this war." These children, he tells Vatican News, “Want to live like all the children in the world and live in peace here, in the Holy Land."
Bombs on Sister Nabila's school
In Jerusalem, this morning, children and teenagers sang and prayed for peace. In Gaza, Israeli airstrikes continued to drop their bombs, causing an unspecified number of casualties.
A school, a hospital, and also the Rosary Sisters’ school were hit. Fortunately, there were no casualties or injuries, only damage to the courtyard and surrounding structures.
Pope prays for victims of quake in Nepal, floods in Europe
Pope Francis expresses his condolences for the victims of a deadly earthquake in Nepal, and prays for Afghans who have taken refuge in neighboring Pakistan.
By Devin Watkins
An earthquake struck northwestern Nepal on Friday night, killing at least 157 people and damaging thousands of homes.
Pope Francis expressed his sorrow for the deadly quake as he prayed the Angelus on Sunday.
“I am close to the people of Nepal who are suffering due to an earthquake,” he said.
The Pope also recalled the many people from Afghanistan who have sought refuge in Pakistan, but “who now do not know where to go.”
He then prayed for the victims of fierce storms and flooding in Europe, including in Italy.
He then prayed for the victims of fierce storms and flooding in Europe, including in Italy.
Villages cut off in Nepal
The 5.6-magnitude earthquake affected several villages in Nepal’s Jajarkot district, a mostly agricultural area in the northwestern part of the country.
Pope Francis: War Takes Away Our Humanity, May We Work For Peace
Pope Francis meets with four thousand members of CHARIS, the International Service of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, and encourages them to proclaim Christ to all, even in the most remote places and among the poor.
By Adriana Masotti
Pope Francis meets with members of CHARIS, the international service organization for all communities of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal established by the Holy See five years after beginning its activity. The event "Called, Transformed and Sent," took place on Saturday afternoon, 4 November, in the Paul VI Hall, its third and final day with over four thousand onhand. The meeting has marked an opportunity to look at experiences up until now and to the future with new goals in the service of the entire Church. Recalling the current-day reality marked by new wars, Pope Francis at the conclusion of his address invited everyone to pray for peace in our world, just like they did at their first CHARIS meeting with him on 8 June 2019 in praying for peace in the Middle East.
The ministry of CHARIS
Pope Francis addressed the CHARIS participants following a full afternoon program that included a talk by Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa, the Ecclesiastical Assistant of CHARIS. The Pope immediately touched on the heart of reflections taking place during these days in Rome, when participants asked themselves: "How is the work of CHARIS going? How are the local Services of Communion progressing? What information are they sending us? Is the Catholic Charismatic Renewal worldwide in a healthy state? Is it growing in ecclesial maturity?" The Pope emphasized that CHARIS' role is to point all communities of the Charistmatic Renewal, which he called a "current of grace" to "communion, on the path ahead."
The Pope observed that, "CHARIS is in some sense a “window” on the vast and varied world of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. Those involved in its work have an extraordinary opportunity to look out this window, to peer into the distance, beyond local experiences, and to appreciate the rich gifts that the Holy Spirit is bestowing in cultural, social and ecclesial contexts very different from their own."
Journalists pay high price in Israel-Hamas war To date, 39 journalists are confirmed to have lost their lives in the Israeli war on Hamas infrastructure in the Gaza Strip which began on 7 October 2023. By Linda Bordoni
Journalists in Gaza are facing great danger as they try to cover the conflict in the face of an Israeli ground assault on Gaza City, devastating airstrikes, disrupted communications, and extensive power outages.
According to the independent Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) the past month has been the deadliest on record for journalists and media workers since it began gathering data in 1992.
As of 7 November 2023, 39 journalists and media workers were confirmed dead: 34 Palestinian, 4 Israeli, and 1 Lebanese.
8 journalists were reported injured; 3 journalists were reported missing; 9 journalists were reported arrested.
Killed, missing, detained, hurt, threatened
On Tuesday, news emerged of a Palestinian reporter who was killed alongside 42 family members. The Wafa news agency he worked for said Mohammad Abu Hasira was killed in an Israeli air strike on Gaza City.
