VATICAN CITY (RNS) – Pope Francis urged world leaders to foster dialogue and peace — even as the threat of a world war looms larger — and addressed polarization in the United States during his annual speech to Vatican ambassadors from all over the world on Thursday (Jan. 9).
“In the face of the increasingly concrete threat of a world war, the vocation of diplomacy is to foster dialogue with all parties, including those interlocutors considered less ‘convenient’ or illegitimate to negotiate with,” the pope said.
Pope Francis, who recently turned 88, wasn’t able to deliver the lengthy speech to the ambassadors because of a cold and asked an aide to do so in his place.
Since the start of the war in Ukraine, Francis has urged the international community to work toward negotiating a peace and refrained from condemning Russian President Vladimir Putin. While this approach has led to criticism, the pope has steadfastly maintained that the road to peace requires going beyond a binary thinking of “good guys” and “bad guys.” In the same way, he has urged Israel and Palestinians to seek reconciliation. Francis’ view of international diplomacy reflects the Vatican’s long-standing attempts to stay out of the fray amid national conflicts.
In his speech, the pope acknowledged that forgiveness and reconciliation are not enough to promote peace without truth, …