Rome Newsroom, Sep 8, 2022 / 11:00 am (CNA).
The role of the Church in a world shaken by war and other global issues was the subject Pope Francis raised with his diplomatic representatives around the globe on Thursday.
“Unfortunately, Europe and the entire world are shaken by a particularly serious war, due to the violation of international law, the risks of nuclear escalation, and the grave economic and social consequences,” the pope told almost 100 apostolic nuncios and permanent observers of the Holy See.
The diplomats are gathered in Rome for their triennial meeting from Sept. 7–10.
In his official address, Francis thanked the diplomats for bringing the pope’s closeness “to peoples and Churches,” saying his representatives had been “points of reference in moments of greatest disorientation and turbulence.”
The pope recalled that “the storm of the COVID-19 pandemic” had forced everyone “to make various restrictions in our daily lives and in our pastoral activity.”
“Now the worst seems to be over, and thank God we can meet again,” Francis added.
The pope said that the nuncios had also participated actively in the consultation stages of the Synod on Synodality.
But, unfortunately, he said, not only Europe but also the entire world is shaken by a “war of particular gravity.”
“It is a ‘piecemeal’ third world war, to which you bear witness in the places where you carry out your mission,” the pope told his representatives.
Pope Francis has repeatedly spoken of World War III during his pontificate.
In April, he wrote in an introduction to an Italian book that the world was moving toward World War III as if it were unavoidable, but that the war was not inevitable.
“When we allow ourselves to be devoured by this monster represented by war, when we allow this monster to raise its head and guide our actions, everyone loses, we destroy God’s creatures, we commit sacrilege and prepare a future of death for our children and grandchildren,” he wrote.
If you value the news and views Catholic World Report provides, please consider donating to support our efforts. Your contribution will help us continue to make CWR available to all readers worldwide for free, without a subscription. Thank you for your generosity!
Click here for more information on donating to CWR. Click here to sign up for our newsletter.
Pope Francis is virtually a lone voice addressing the real danger of world nuclear war in a Ukraine War that already has drawn the major powers either actively or by proxy.
It seems great wars arrive at a period of mutual reserve until an unexpected event draws all into a death struggle. As when Austria Hungary and Serbia remained at a hostile distance until Sarajevo. Or after a brokered Munich peace between Germany and Britain and France until Danzig.
If many of us have serious reservations regarding papal policy Francis’ warning has substance, his policy interpreted as ambivalent is more realpolitik taking into account legitimate grievances of both sides in the Ukraine Russia conflict. Negotiation is perceived as capitulation by most Western nations when negotiation is the only realistic resolution short of expanded and possible nuclear conflict.
We are indebted to pray for a just if imperfect peace.
“When we allow ourselves to be devoured by this monster represented by war, when we allow this monster to raise its head and guide our actions, everyone loses, we destroy God’s creatures, we commit sacrilege and prepare a future of death for our children and grandchildren,” he wrote.”
In the Second Secret of Fatima, God tells us that it is God, not man, who grants peace to the world. The ‘monster’ which threatens the world is mankind’s massive, unrepentant, sinfulness. So if Pope Francis is terrified about Jesus’, Matthew 24:21 “for at that time there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will be.”, it is Pope Francis, our world’s religious leader, not our secular world tyrants, who has to get the world to repent of their massive sinfulness, so that God can grant us peace on earth, instead of God punishing us with a ‘WWIII’.
The Second Secret of Fatima
You have seen hell where the souls of poor sinners go. To save them, God wishes to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart. If what I say to you is done, many souls will be saved and there will be peace. The war is going to end: but if people do not cease offending God, a worse one will break out during the Pontificate of Pius XI. When you see a night illumined by an unknown light, know that this is the great sign given you by God that he is about to punish the world for its crimes, by means of war, famine, and persecutions of the Church and of the Holy Father. To prevent this, I shall come to ask for the consecration of Russia to my Immaculate Heart, and the Communion of reparation on the First Saturdays. If my requests are heeded, Russia will be converted, and there will be peace; if not, she will spread her errors throughout the world, causing wars and persecutions of the Church. The good will be martyred; the Holy Father will have much to suffer; various nations will be annihilated. In the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph. The Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me, and she shall be converted, and a period of peace will be granted to the world.
Quoted From: https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20000626_message-fatima_en.html
Wisdom 14:22
Then it was not enough for them to err in their knowledge of God; but even though they live in a great war resulting from ignorance, they call such evils peace. For while they practice either child sacrifices or occult mysteries, or frenzied carousing in exotic rites, They no longer respect either lives or purity of marriage; but they either waylay and kill each other, or aggrieve each other by adultery.
Planet Earth and humankind are thirsting for peace.
Dear Dr Coelho:
May I ask how you read the following verses?
Exodus 15:3 The Lord is a man of war; the Lord is his name.
1 Thessalonians 5:3 While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
Jeremiah 6:14 They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace.
Isaiah 57:21 There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”
How might one contextualize the above verses with the fact that Jesus is the Prince of peace? It is an imposition, I realize, yet your perspective would be welcome.
In the bond that is Jesus Christ,
Brian Young