VATICAN CITY (RNS) — Pope Leo XIV opened his summit of cardinals at the Vatican on Friday (June 26) by appealing to unity within the church, which he said is called to build a “civilization of love” amid rising conflicts and ongoing wars around the world.
“War is never worthy of humanity, and it is never blessed by God, because even if we are equipped with high-tech weapons, the Creator has endowed us with intelligence and free will to resolve conflicts as human beings and not as beasts,” the pope said in his homily at Mass, which he celebrated with the cardinals in St. Peter’s Basilica.
Cardinals from all over the world — a total of 178 — are gathering at the Vatican from June 26-27 for what’s known as an extraordinary consistory, a gathering meant to address how the church can promote peace in the world and unity in its ranks.
Leo drew from the day’s reading to remind the prelates to “share in the true freedom of faith,” which allows the church to engage in a world where “international tensions and conflicts seriously wound the human family.” But the pope also recognized the many examples of good, rooted in justice and respect for human dignit …