Pope Leo objects to Europe's arming
Pope XIV. Leo reiterated his objection to the armament of Europe and supported peace efforts in the Ukraine war.
"The war is back, even to Europe: A new and meaningless massacre that costs the lives of countless civilians every day," the first pope of US origin said in a speech to European leaders in Metz, the hometown of Robert Schuman, one of the founders of the European Union.
While Leo presented his clearest political vision to date for Europe, he also praised the integration and multiculturalism at a time when the right gained power throughout the region.
In his French speech, the Pope called on Europeans to remember the founding values of the EU, including the rule of law and the equality of all people regardless of race, color, class or occupation.
Leo's speech received a standing ovation.
Leo began his four-day visit, which he began on Friday, with a warning that the United Nations and other multilateral organizations were in crisis and that international dialogue risked becoming a "farcule".
“We must be brave in negotiations and ready to give up some of our attitudes for the greater benefit of peace,” said Leo, adding that in the bloody days of the First World War, Pope XV. It reminded me of a similar call from Benedict.
Leo also reiterated his opposition to European military spending, which increased with the highest increase since the end of the Cold War last year, on the grounds of pressure from US President Donald Trump and the threat of Russia.
The Pope said:
“We must also resist the misconception that re-armament is the solution. We must ask ourselves today: Are we really making creative efforts to advance world peace, or are we just trying to 'cope with the wave of war' and better prepare ourselves for wars that we still assume will come?”
Leo also called on European leaders to integrate immigrants who come to the continent into society and offer them opportunities as if they were members of their own family.
Frequently calling on leaders to treat migrants more humanely, the Pope reiterated his call for “legal and safe ways” for migration and international cooperation in the fight against human trafficking:
“Accepting someone means integrating them as if they were part of their own family and giving them the opportunity to develop their abilities, skills and sensibilities.”
A few hours before Leo's speech, three migrants, including a child, lost their lives trying to cross the English Channel from France to England.
Leo also criticized Trump's anti-immigration policies in the US and called on Europe to protect the rule of law and embrace multiculturalism.
Emphasizing the Christian roots of Europe, the Pope said, "Europe has developed and advanced when it has been able to take advantage of the best aspects of its past and reshape them in new and creative ways through encounters with others," and continued:
“Today, the relations between individuals and states are becoming increasingly uncivilized. The value of keeping your word is ignored; instead, people brag about lies and deceptions. Europe can help break this cycle through respect for others that it has learned to develop and maintain.”
Leo then held a ritual with thousands of local Catholics at the 13th-century Gothic cathedral in Metz, where he praised the multicultural identity of Europe.
The leader of the Holy Sente said, "The future of Europe lies not in uniformity, but in harmony with differences."