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Pope Francis called on the faithful for courage in the face of the pandemic at the Angelus prayer at the start of the new year. “We need encouragement. We are still living in uncertain and difficult times because of the pandemic. Many are afraid of the future and are burdened by social difficulties, personal problems, the dangers of the economic crisis, injustices and the economic imbalance of the planet,” the pope said Saturday.
The pontiff also turned his attention once again to migrants. “When I look at Mary holding her son in her arms, I think of the young mothers and their children fleeing wars and famine or waiting in refugee camps, they are numerous,” Francis told pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square in brilliant sunshine. He thanked Italian President Sergio Mattarella, who had congratulated him on the new year in his New Year’s address Friday night.
In his homily for the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God, on which the Catholic Church also celebrates the World Day of Peace, the head of the Church paid tribute to all mothers. Once again, the Pope called for an end to violence against women. “The new year begins under the sign of the mother. And since mothers give life and women preserve the world, we must all work to promote mothers and protect women,” Francis said at the solemn service in St. Peter’s Basilica.
“How much violence there is against women! There must be an end to it! To violate a woman is to insult God, who took his human form from a woman,” the church leader said.
Already two years ago, Pope Francis had condemned violence against women in drastic words during the Mass for the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. “All violence against women is a desecration of God, who was born of a woman,” the pope said at the time. The topic has also preoccupied Francis on several other occasions during his pontificate, which has lasted almost nine years.
- source: k.at/picture: instagram #franciscus
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