Pope Francis pleads for an end to senseless violence in the name of war

Pope Makes Heartfelt Appeal on Behalf of Child Victims of War

Also Recalls Senseless Slaughter of World War One on 100th Anniversary

    

Rome, July 27, 2014 (Zenit.org)  

  

During his Angelus address on Sunday, Pope Francis issued a heartfelt appeal on behalf of the world’s child victims of war, and again appealed for peace in the Middle East and Ukraine.

Recalling that tomorrow is the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of World War One, the Pope said: “I think of the children, those who have been denied hope of a decent life, of a future: dead children, wounded children, maimed children, orphaned children, children who have remnants of war as toys, children who don’t know how to smile.
“Please stop!,” the Pope implored, adding with clear emotion: “I ask you with all my heart, it's time to stop! Please stop!”
The Pope said his thoughts “go out to three areas of crisis: the Middle East, Iraq and Ukraine.”
He asked the faithful to continue to join him in prayer so that those in power will be tenacious in “dialogue and negotiation and with the force of reconciliation.” He expressed his hope that at the center of every decision, “special interests aren’t put forward, but rather the common good and respect for every person.
“Let’s remember that all is lost with war, and nothing is lost with peace,” he said to applause.
Remembering that Pope Benedict XV described World War One as a "senseless slaughter", the Holy Father said he hoped that the “mistakes of the past won’t be repeated, but that the lessons of history be taken into account, that the demands of peace through patient and courageous dialogue are always made to prevail.”
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Full text of Angelus Address