One can never kill in God’s name” – Pope Francis

 

Pope Francis, in an  address to the diplomatic corps of all ambassadors accredited to the Holy See said he was devoting the meeting to the themes of security and peace.

Francis stated clearly: ‘We are dealing with a homicidal madness which misuses God’s name in order to disseminate death, in a play for domination and power.’

 “Fundamentalist terrorism is the fruit of a profound spiritual poverty, and often is linked to significant social poverty,” he continued. Only with the joint contribution of religious and political leaders, Francis believes, can it be fully defeated.

Acknowledging the suffering that is plaguing the world, the Pope said: “I appeal to all religious authorities to join in reaffirming unequivocally that one can never kill in God’s name.”

 “In today’s climate of general apprehension for the present, and uncertainty and anxious concern for the future, I feel it is important to speak a word of hope, which can also indicate a path on which to embark.”

Francis stressed that  political authorities “must not limit themselves to ensuring the security of their own citizens – a concept which could easily be reduced to a mere “quiet life” – but are called also to work actively for the growth of peace.”

This also means, Francis highlighted, “working for the elimination of the deplorable arms trade and the never-ending race to create and spread ever more sophisticated weaponry.”  He expressed his concern about the particularly disturbing experiments being conducted on the Korean Peninsula, “which destabilize the entire region and raise troubling questions for the entire international community about the risk of a new nuclear arms race.”

Frances concluded by  quoting his predecessor Saint Pope John XXIII’s words in Pacem in Terris: “Justice, right reason and the recognition of human dignity cry out insistently for a cessation to the arms race.  The stockpiles of armaments which have been built up in various countries must be reduced all round by the parties concerned.  Nuclear weapons must be banned”.

ACN Malta