Scottish Catholic Observer

War never again, Pope Francis said this morning as he railed against conflict, persecution of Christians, and the trafficking of weapons ‘bathed in the blood of so many innocent people.’

Speaking at the end of his general audience to pilgrims in St Peter’s Square, the Pope said that ‘war never again’ is the permanent desire of those who are victims of conflicts and the anguished cry from the hearts of all men and women of good will to the Prince of Prince.

‘War never again’ is a phrase the Pope has used before, and was used by Pope Paul VI in an address to the United Nations in 1965.

Earlier, the Holy Father had continued his catechesis on the family calling on families to combat the ‘desertification’ of modern cities.

“There’s so much entertainment,” Pope Francis said. “So many things to waste time and laugh about. But love is missing. The answer is the family. It’s the family, with a father and mother who work and take care of the kids. The smile of a family has the strength to overcome the desertification of our cities. This is the victory of love and of the family.

“Where we see affection within a family, actions of love emerge and these speak louder than words. They are actions of love. This is something to think about.”

At the end of the audience, the Pope blessed newlywed couples, and he met with a number of clergy, including Cardinal Raymond Burke, the traditionalist American linked in the past to opposition against some of the Pope’s statements.

The general audience catechises on the family will continue in the coming weeks ahead of October’s Synod on the Family.

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