Pope Leo XIV has called for a Christmas Day truce in ongoing conflicts around the globe, and spoken out against the passage of an assisted suicide law in his home state of Illinois.
The Pope made his comments while addressing journalists outside Castel Gandolfo.
Calling on nations to put down arms for twenty-four hours on Christmas Day, Pope Leo said, “I once more make this appeal to all people of excellent will: that, not less than on the feast of the birth of the Saviour, in the future of peace could also be respected.”
His appeal will likely fall on deaf ears. Russia generally celebrates the birth of Jesus on 7 January because of its historic use of the Julian calendar, while within the Middle East neither Hamas nor Israel consider the birth of Jesus to be of great significance.
The Pope said that he had been involved with Father Gabriel Romanelli, parish priest of Gaza’s only Catholic church, the Holy Family parish.
“They try to have a good time the feast within the midst of a situation that continues to be very precarious. Let us hope that the peace agreement will move forward,” he said.
Holy Family Church was a spot of special concern to the late Pope Francis, who was reportedly involved with the parish on an almost every day basis in the course of the final months of his life.
Earlier this month Father Romanelli told Catholic charity, Aid to the Church in Need, that despite the ceasefire, conditions remained grim within the territory.
“The world should know that there are over two million people here who don’t have anything and wish every thing.
“Since the fighting stopped, the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem has managed to send us vital aid with which now we have been in a position to help over 12,000 families.”
The people, he said, continued to suffer because of the shortage of basic provisions and the indisputable fact that no progress has been made at reconstructing homes and infrastructure as yet.
Concerning developments in Illinois, from September next yr the state’s residents will have the ability to undergo medically assisted suicide in the event that they are adults with a terminal illness and a prognosis of six months or less.
Similar laws have already been passed in numerous jurisdictions, most notably within the US state of Oregon, in addition to Canada. Proposals are being considered by legislatures throughout the western world. In Britain, each the Westminster and Holyrood parliaments are assessing legislative proposals that would permit the controversial practice.
The Pope said that he had already spoken with Illinois Governor JB Pritzker during an audience in November, before the passage of the bill, and had outlined his views on the matter “very explicitly”.
“We were very clear concerning the must respect the sacredness of life, from starting to finish. And unfortunately … he decided to sign that bill. I’m very disillusioned by this,” said Leo.
He added that his prayer was that “respect for all times may grow once more at every moment of human existence, from conception to natural death.”
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