Pope Francis is proven throughout the Holy Mass for the Solemnity of Mary, Mom of God, at Saint Peter’s Basilica in Vatican Metropolis on Saturday. Photograph by Giuseppe Lami/EPA-EFE
Jan. 1 (UPI) — Pope Francis strongly condemned violence towards girls Saturday in a New Yr’s Day homily specializing in the Blessed Virgin Mary and the plight of younger moms fleeing warfare and battle.
Whereas celebrating Mass at Saint Peter’s Basilica within the Vatican on the event of the Solemnity of Mary, Mom of God — the Roman Catholic feast day honoring her because the mom of Jesus — Francis inspired the trustworthy to make larger efforts to safeguard moms and defend girls.
“How a lot violence is directed towards girls? Sufficient,” he declared. “To harm a girl is to insult God, who from a girl took on our humanity — not via an angel, indirectly, however via a girl.”
Additionally marking Saturday as World Peace Day, the pontiff in contrast modern-day moms and their youngsters fleeing conflicts and famine or ready in refugee camps to Mary’s trials in caring for the child Jesus in dire poverty.
Like her, Francis stated, at the moment’s trustworthy assist others to convey optimistic change in our world.
“If we grow to be craftsmen of fraternity, we will mend the threads of a world torn aside by warfare and violence,” he stated.
Saturday’s New Yr message was the most recent of a number of latest situations through which the 85-year-old pontiff has spoken out about violence towards girls.
In his conventional Urbi et Orbi deal with on Christmas Day, Francis referred to as on God to “consolation the victims of violence towards girls that’s rampant on this time of pandemic.”
And final month in a tv broadcast by Italy’s Mediaset community, he additionally lamented the abuse of girls, citing “the nice variety of girls who’re overwhelmed, abused at house, even by their husbands,” and describing the violence towards them as virtually “satanic.”