"Francis repeatedly railed against the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, urging negotiations to end the fighting. In November 2024, he voiced his frustration to diplomats at the Vatican, saying, "I simply mention two failures of humanity today: Ukraine and Palestine, where there is suffering, where the arrogance of the invader prevails over dialogue.""
Pope Francis, who reached out to the margins of society, has died at 88
 |
Pope Francis exits the memorial to the victims of the 9/11 attacks on Sept. 25, 2015, in New York City. Spencer Platt/Getty Images. |
He died Monday at his residence in the Vatican's Casa Santa Marta, according to a statement from the Vatican.
Francis was one of the most popular popes in decades and a towering figure on the world stage, addressing not just Catholics but the men and women of our time.
The outspoken pope lent his voice to almost every modern issue facing the world, often taking the side of the marginalized and vulnerable. He spoke out against commercial exploitation of the environment, rich countries' unwillingness to accept migrants, the alienation caused by technology and the lucrative sale of weapons of war... READ MORE https://www.npr.org/2025/04/21/1013050313/pope-francis-dead
[AS ALWAYS PLEASE GO TO THE LINK TO READ GOOD ARTICLES (or quotes) IN FULL: HELP SHAPE ALGORITHMS (and conversations) THAT EMPOWER DECENCY, DIGNITY, JUSTICE & PEACE... and hopefully Palestine]
ADDRESS OF THE HOLY FATHER FRANCIS
Sala Regia
Monday, 25 November 2024
"In this regard, how can I not refer to the many ongoing armed conflicts
that remain still unresolved, despite the fact that they cause immense
sufferings for the countries at war and the entire human family. Here I
would point to the hypocrisy of speaking of peace and dabbling in war.
In some countries where there is much talk of peace, the highest
yielding investments are in the production of arms. This hypocrisy
always leads to failure. The failure of fraternity, the failure of
peace. May the international community make the force of law prevail
through dialogue, for dialogue “must be the soul of the international
community”. [14]
I simply mention two failures of humanity today: Ukraine and Palestine,
where people are suffering, where the arrogance of the invader prevails
over dialogue. Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, I thank you
most heartily for taking part in this commemorative ceremony. Through
the intercession of Mary, Queen of Peace, our Mother, I invoke God’s
blessing upon the beloved nations of Chile and Argentina, which I
likewise invoke upon all peoples who long for peace and concord, and to
every man and woman committed to the cause of fraternity and social
friendship." https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/speeches/2024/november/documents/20241125-atto-commemorativo.html
ADDRESS OF THE HOLY FATHER FRANCIS
TO THE DELEGATION OF THE ʺUNIVERSAL PEACE COUNCILʺ
Consistory Hall
Monday, 25 November 2024
______________________________________
Dear friends,
I am pleased to have this opportunity to meet with you during your visit to Rome and I commend your dedication to the cause of peace in the Holy Land, which sadly has witnessed much violence and suffering through the centuries. Unfortunately, our own day is no different and for over a year now, the dark clouds of conflict have once more engulfed the region of the world you call home. It is terrible, terrible.
The current situation makes the promotion of peace all the more important and I am delighted to see that your delegation is composed of young people from different backgrounds and faiths. This is a clear sign that the desire for peace is rooted in the human heart and is able to bring about unity in diversity. We all know, however, that your task is not easy. As a result, I would like to offer you three brief points to consider.
The first is that we need young people to carry out this important service because they possess a certain idealism, enthusiasm and hope that reminds all of us that a better world is possible, peace is possible. In particular, young people can help others to discover the crucial elements that prepare the way for peace: forgiveness and a willingness to let go of past prejudices and hurts. Young people are creative, but it is terrible to meet young people who have fallen prey to ideologies. In these cases, ideology takes the place of rational thought and the desire to do good. While we must always remember and learn from history, an unhealthy attachment to past hurts and prejudices can never lead to true and lasting peace. In fact, it only perpetuates the spiral of conflict and division.
The second point is always to engage in dialogue, since it is the principal tool at our disposal. “Approaching, speaking, listening, looking at, coming to know and understand one another, and to find common ground: all these things are summed up in the one word ‘dialogue’” (Fratelli Tutti, 198). Dialogue is the only path for peace, for encountering one another. Young people can be great artisans of peace through dialogue.
The third is never to lose hope. Hope never disappoints. Do not lose hope. It is so easy to become discouraged when we see the devastating effects of war and hatred, not to mention poverty, hunger, discrimination and various other realities that threaten the prospect of peace. They are the fruit of war. This may lead us to think that our engagement in dialogue is futile because it produces few concrete results. Perhaps you may have even been criticized for focusing on the need to dialogue in order to advance the cause of peace. In those moments, remember that anything worth doing is not easy. It requires sacrifice and a willingness to recommit ourselves each day, especially when things seem not to go our way. Keep hope alive, dear young people, always bearing in mind that we are all part of one human family. We are all brothers and sisters, and efforts to promote reconciliation, harmony and peace will always be worth our time and effort. And of course, never lose your sense of humour, that healthy joy! That is very important! Do not lose the capacity for joy, which helps us to see things more clearly.
Thank you for your visit and I assure you of my prayers for your commitment to peace in the Holy Land. I bless all of you and I ask, please, to remember me in your prayers. Thank you!
Copyright © Dicastero per la Comunicazione - Libreria Editrice Vaticana
From Buenos Aires to Rome: Key dates in the life of Pope Francis
 |
| March 13, 2013: Elected 266th pope, the first from the Americas, the first Jesuit and the first to take the name of Francis, after St. Francis of Assisi. |
Dec. 17, 1936: Jorge Mario Bergoglio is born in Buenos Aires, Argentina,
the eldest of five children to Mario Jose Bergoglio, an accountant from
Italy, and Regina María Sívori, the daughter of Italian immigrants. READ MORE https://www.reflector.com/news/national/from-buenos-aires-to-rome-key-dates-in-the-life-of-pope-francis/article_d36561a2-681a-5aef-8334-d5e00b596159.html
,%20oil%20on%20canvas,%201993.png)
,%20oil%20on%20canvas,%201994.png)
,%20who%20was%20hit%20by%20a%20missile%20from%20an%20Israeli%20warplane%20during%20the%20Gaza%20war%20and%20lost%20both%20arms%20Palestinain%20photographer%20Samer%20Abu%20Elouf.jpg)
