Pope Francis’ vision of hope, forgiveness, and unity in troubled times
By Linda Bordoni
Conversing with Maria Bernarda Llorente, a journalist of the Argentinian TV station “Canal Orbe 21” at his residence in the Vatican shortly after the conclusion of the Synod, Pope Francis condemned the “hypocrisy” of talking about peace while “arming conflicts” and expressed concern for the weakening of institutions. The interview touched on a range of topics, from some of the world’s most pressing issues to the Pope’s vision of an increasingly synodal Church and the theme of “Hope” that runs through the Jubilee Year.
War: A “human defeat” that demands urgent action
Pope Francis has repeatedly described war as “a human defeat,” lamenting the hypocrisy of nations that advocate for peace while profiting from the arms trade. In numerous speeches and appeals, he has also decried the growing number of conflicts - especially the ongoing violence in Ukraine and the Holy Land - and reiterated his firm belief that peace can only be achieved through authentic dialogue and reconciliation.
“I am concerned that countless calls for peace from international organizations go in one ear and out the other,” he said during the interview decrying what he called a "fundamental hypocrisy: we talk about peace, but we arm for war."
And reiterating the nefarious consequences of the arms trade, the Pope denounced the fact that "one of the greatest returns on investment in Europe comes from arms factories. So, we organize peace conferences and meetings, but we continue to produce weapons to kill."
Universal tendency toward self-destruction
Expressing his concern and warning of the universal tendency toward self-destruction, he drew a parallel with the biblical Tower of Babel, suggesting that humanity risks building a similarly fragile and perilous future if it continues on its current trajectory.
“Today, the war in the Holy Land is not a normal war, fought according to the rules of war. It is a terrible thing,” he said, and decrying the conflict in Ukraine he reiterated his conviction that “peace treaties are urgently needed, but when one speaks of peace, people start beating about the bush.”
Acknowledging the complexity of modern conflicts, the Pope pointed to a failure of personal ethics and self-serving interests as causes for the inefficacy of international mechanisms.
“Dialogue is crucial. If there is no dialogue, there will be no peace. We must stop attacking one another, stop destroying one another, and start engaging one another. Peace is achieved through dialogue,” he stressed calling into question also the need for the European Union to continue to work for peace.
“It [the EU] must not lose the independence it has in this matter. This is what promotes its internal unity and from there it draws the strength to engage with the outside. These institutions have weakened a little, but they still have the capacity to foster dialogue,” the Pope said.
Combatting polarization and extremism
In a world increasingly polarized by ideologies, the Holy Father called for a renewed focus on truth and dialogue. He warned against the dangers of denialism, describing it as “suicidal,” and urged leaders to address the roots of conflicts with honesty and humility.
“Denialism is always poisonous,” he said. “When one denies a reality, a history, a concrete situation, one is shooting oneself in the foot. Only reality will help find a way out of conflict. “He also spoke against the intertwining of religion with state politics, noting that such alliances often lead to intolerance and persecution.
Instead, he celebrated examples of coexistence and dialogue, such as those he witnessed in Indonesia, where he said, “there was always dialogue between different groups, respect and dialogue. I did not find religious persecution of Christians anywhere. Nor vice versa, from other religions. There is coexistence, those countries are an example of coexistence.”
A Synodal Church: Embracing diversity and inclusion
Reflecting on the Assembly of the Synod of Bishops that concluded in October, Pope Francis highlighted the significance of this milestone in his papacy.
“The Church is no longer top-down,” he explained. “It is no longer the bishops, the Pope, the priests, the nuns; it is the Church from below that expresses itself and creates community.”
The Holy Father described the Synodal Church as one that thrives on harmony amidst chaos, guided by the Holy Spirit. “The key word is harmony,” he said. “Let us think about what happened on Pentecost morning: a barbaric chaos, but in the midst of that chaos, the Holy Spirit created harmony.”
The Pope also reiterated the Church’s openness to all, reiterating his invitation to all and stating, “Once inside, we discern together.”
“None of us in the Church are saints. We are all sinners, and the Church helps us make up for our shortcomings. Let us not forget this: all of us, all of us, inside,” Pope Francis reiterated.
Forgiveness at the heart of 2025 Jubilee
As the Church prepares for Jubilee 2025 under the theme “Pilgrims of Hope,” Pope Francis emphasized the transformative power of forgiveness and described the Jubilee as an opportunity for personal and communal renewal.
“God never tires of forgiving; it is we who tire of asking for forgiveness,” he recalled adding that the Jubilee is not about “religious tourism” but about a deep, personal journey toward healing and renewal.
“To experience a Jubilee properly, it must come from within and, in some way, it must be to sort out your personal history somewhat. In that sense, it is a moment of forgiveness, joy, reconstitution of so many personal and social things,” he explained.
Engaging with young people
Pope Francis underscored the importance of engaging young people, whom he said, “need to be creative.” He also recounted how acts of charity, such as feeding the homeless, have inspired faith journeys among young volunteers.
“You give young people a challenge, that's how they'll grow. If you don't give them a challenge and help them face it, they'll just keep orbiting around nonsense,” he said.
The Pope has described artificial intelligence as both “a fascinating and a tremendous instrument” and called for its integration with human values. “We must engage in humane dialogue with artificial intelligence,” he urged, noting that it is a challenge for today.
Christianity is not an ideology
Commenting on social and cultural challenges facing young people today, Pope Francis warned against the influence of organizations that perpetrate ideological rigidity that he said, can deform one’s capacity for love and relationships.
And regarding education, he condemned widespread budget cuts, calling them "a planned suicide for a country" and "a crime."
"Education is food... It is food for the soul, for the mind, for the spirit," he noted, criticising those governments and systems that restrict access to education" resulting in the fact that “Only the children of the rich can have access to higher education."
A school is like a second home, he added, “Universities are fundamental. A country must provide the resources for its universities to create the new brains of the future."
A vision for the Church in the future
When asked about his vision for the Church in the future, Pope Francis said, “I think the Church is already well designed, by God's intuition, by the Holy Spirit who guides it, and by the decisions that the Church has been making.”
He said he imagines a church in which “the laity is very involved.” The parish, he added, must be a community that interacts with the priest, seeking a path together.”
“Dialogue is very important. The Church will continue to grow in this dynamic,” he stressed.
Finally, when asked for a message for the people of Argentina this Christmas, Pope Francis said: “Keep fighting, defend yourselves from ideologies and don't let yourselves be fooled, fight for your rights.”
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