Pope Francis on Friday
pledged to do everything possible to stop the sexual abuse of
minors in a video message recorded after a audience in the
Vatican with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
The message also touched on many other issues, included the
climate crisis, hunger and inequality.
"We cannot, we must not look the other way in the face of
injustice, inequality, the scandal of hunger in the world, of
poverty, of children who die because they lack water, food, the
necessary care," Francis said.
"We cannot look the other way in the face of any kind of
abuse of children. We must all fight this scourge together.
"We cannot close our eyes to the many brothers and sisters of
ours who, due to conflict and violence, misery or climate
change, leave their countries and often meet a sad fate".
The Catholic Church has been hit by a long string of scandals
regarding the sexual abuse of children by clergymen in many
parts of the world.
"We must not remain indifferent to the trampled and
exploited human dignity, to the attacks against human life, both
that which has not yet been born and that of every person in
need of care," Francis continued.
"We cannot, we must not look the other way when believers of
various faiths are persecuted in different parts of the world.
"The use of religion to incite hatred, violence, oppression,
extremism and blind fanaticism, as well as to force people into
exile and marginalization, cries out for revenge before God.
"But the arms race and nuclear rearmament also cries out for
revenge before God. And it is immoral not only the use but also
the possession of nuclear weapons, which are so destructive that
even the mere danger of an accident represents a grim threat to
humanity.
"We must not be indifferent to the many wars that continue to
be fought and which claim so many innocent victims".
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