Pope Francis has addressed Ukrainian youth with an ambiguous call to forgive and resist the desire to "retaliate" for the sake of peace.
Points of attention
- Pope Francis encourages Ukrainian youth to forgive their enemies and embrace dialogue as a means to build peace.
- He emphasizes the destructive nature of war and the importance of seeking forgiveness over retaliation.
- The pontiff's message highlights the devaluation of life in today's society and the significance of fostering a culture of forgiveness for a better tomorrow.
- Through anecdotes and responses to questions from Ukrainian youth, Pope Francis underscores the importance of maintaining faith and spreading the message of peace amidst conflict.
- The call for forgiveness and dialogue as tools for peace resonates as the Pope addresses the ongoing struggles faced by Ukrainians and the importance of teaching future generations the art of forgiveness.
Francis cynically called on young Ukrainians to forgive Russians
He stated this during a video conference with Ukrainian youth.
During the event, the pontiff read a prayer and answered questions from Ukrainians living in Ukraine and abroad.
The first to address the head of the Catholic Church was Iliana Dobra, a 21-year-old teacher from Uzhhorod. The girl asked Pope Francis about his opinion on whether it is worth dying for one's homeland and how to maintain faith in the defense of life in times of war.
The pontiff replied that "dialogue is the medicine" through which "peace is built."
Today, the meaning of life is devalued. More importance is given to money and military positions than to human life. War always destroys. Please never tire of dialogue with yourself and even with those who oppose us. It is true that sometimes dialogue is impossible due to the stubbornness of some, but we must always make an effort.
Francis
Pope
Another Ukrainian, 27-year-old Yulia, asked how one can see peace if “the genocide of our people continues.” The head of the Catholic Church did not respond to this, but condemned the consequences of the war, mentioning the conflict between Israel and Gaza.
War brings hunger. Every night I call the parish in Gaza, and they tell me that they often go hungry. War not only causes hunger — it kills.
Tetiana, 35, from Chicago, noted that Ukrainian children were forced to flee from the "modern-day Herod" and wondered how to forgive and teach this to future generations.
"The thought that helps me is: I must forgive as I was forgiven. The art of forgiveness is not easy, but we must keep moving forward and always forgive."
