In his annual address to diplomats accredited to the Holy See, Pope Francis stressed his concern for the perilous path the world is headed along and the need for peace, particularly in the Middle East.     

The Holy Father said, “The world is experiencing a growing number of conflicts,”  which as he warned is slowly transforming what he has called the “‘third world war in pieces’ into a true global conflict.”  

The Holy Father recalled that, “We were all shocked by the terrorist attack against the Israeli population on October 7th, where many innocent people were brutally injured, tortured, and killed, and many were taken hostage.”    

His appeal rang again, “I repeat my condemnation for what happened and for every form of terrorism and extremism, as these actions do not resolve issues between peoples; on the contrary, they make them more difficult, causing suffering for everyone.”  

He noted that conflict breeds more conflict, “Indeed, this has led to a strong Israeli military response in Gaza, resulting in the deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinians, including many innocent individuals, and causing a severe humanitarian crisis and unimaginable suffering.”  

In his address to the diplomats, the Holy Father emphasized that the path to peace includes respect for every human life, particularly the unborn, saying, “The path to peace calls for respect for life, for every human life, starting with the life of the unborn child in the mother’s womb, which cannot be suppressed or turned into an object of trafficking.” 

He honed in on one particular issue labeling it deplorable, “The practice of so-called surrogate motherhood, which represents a grave violation of the dignity of the woman and the child, based on the exploitation of situations of the mother’s material needs. A child is always a gift and never the basis of a commercial contract.”  

He expressed concern about the persistent spread of a “culture of death” in the West, calling for a return to foundational values and dialogue to overcome ideological divisions. The Pope also addressed the weakening of multilateral diplomatic structures and invited them to be peacemakers.  

At the end, the Holy Father highlighted the importance of interreligious dialogue, protection of religious freedom, and ethical use of new technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, to ensure their service to humanity and contribution to peace.  

Adapted by Jacob Stein