On May 25, Pope Francis accepted an interview with a reporter from the World Television Network of the United States. The content of the conversation covered many aspects, such as: immigration, abortion and celibacy. The pope also explained that he always invites people to pray for him because when the faithful pray for their shepherds, they are protected “as if in armor”.
(Vatican News Network)“Peace will be achieved on the day when they can talk to each other, whether they talk in person or through other people.” In an interview with Julio Vaqueiro, he expounded his views on the issues of Ukraine and Russia in this speech. In this interview, the Pope talked about various topics, such as: immigration, war, abortion, the irrelevance of celibacy and sexual abuse, his health, and explained why he always invites the faithful to pray for him. He explained that because when the faithful pray for their shepherds, shepherds are protected “as if in armor”.
Meeting with Zelensky
One question concerned a recent meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his remarks to the media that he did not need a mediator. “That was not the tone of the talks,” the pope clarified, stressing that Zelenskiy “asked him a big favor” and that was dealing with “children brought to Russia”. “They don’t have much luxury to mediate.” “What makes them suffer – the help they seek – is the effort to bring the children back to Ukraine,” the pope explained.
“Do you think Russia should return those territories in order to achieve peace?” asked the journalist Vaqueiro. “It’s a political question,” the pope replied.
migrants forced to flee
The Pope then spoke of another “problem”, namely the “serious” problem of immigration. The Pope reiterated the need for a strategy that promotes the development and sustainability of the countries of origin of migrants. Africa first: “A woman, a great female statesman, once said that the problem of African migration must be helped to solve in Africa. But unfortunately, Africa is enslaved by a state of collective unconsciousness, and according to this logic, Africa is exploitation.” However, “the role of aid should be to lift Africa to its feet and move it towards independence”.
The pope spoke of South Sudan, which he visited in February. He pointed out that “foreign powers are rapidly developing industries there, not to make the country grow, but to take away” resources. To go far away is to start here.”
Abortion and Celibacy
Regarding the issue of abortion, the Pope asked rhetorically: “Is it legal to eliminate a living life to solve the problem? Is it legal to hire a killer to solve the problem?”
Referring to the celibacy of priests and the supposed link between cases of sexual abuse of minors in the Church and celibacy, the Pope responded with statistics: “In some countries, 36% of violations occur in the family, involving Uncles, uncles, grandfathers and all married people, or neighbours. Besides that, in sports stadiums, but also in schools…” the Pope made it clear that “this has nothing to do with celibacy”.
Pope’s health
The pope mentioned his health and knee problems in his conversations with reporters: “I couldn’t walk before, but now I can walk again.” The pope said with a smile. The Pope also calmly referred to his hospitalization at the Jemeli General Hospital with a respiratory infection at the end of March: “It was a really unexpected thing. But we caught it in time and the doctor told me that if we wait a few more Hours later, it got worse. But I was out of the hospital in four days.”
prayers like armor
The conversation then turned to why the pope invites prayers for him at the end of each public address. “Sometimes people don’t realize the power of their prayers for their pastors. It is true that the prayers of the faithful work miracles. Take care of your pastors. A pastor, any pastor, whether a parish A priest, a bishop, or any pastor, is protected in the prayer of the faithful by a suit of armor.”
church innovation
Finally, the Pope briefly reviewed the reforms carried out during his ten years of pastoral ministry. In fact, the Pope explained that the reforms he introduced were nothing more than what the cardinals had asked for in the Privy Council before the election of the Pope: “the economic system, the new laws of the Vatican City State, the pastoral care of the services of the Holy See” Wait, there is also the role of women. One goal, however, is of course “de-clericalization”: “clergy-centredness is a perverse pathology… If you’re a clericalist, you’re not a pastor. I always tell Bishops, priests and myself to be pastors”.
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