Pope Leo condemns ‘exclusionary mindset' in Pentecost address
Pope Leo said the Church 'must open the borders between peoples and break down the barriers between class and race'. PHOTO: AFP
VATICAN CITY - Pope Leo XIV exhorted the faithful on June 8 to reject an 'exclusionary mindset' he said had led to nationalism around the world.
Pope Leo's homily did not call out current events and conflicts nor identify individual leaders. But his choice of language was significant, encouraging people to 'open borders' within their hearts and minds.
The address marked a month since the former Robert Prevost from Chicago was elected Pope, and came during a Sunday mass to celebrate Pentacost held under sunny skies in St Peter's Square.
Before mass, the 69-year-old pontiff made a turn around the sprawling Baroque square in his popemobile to the enthusiastic cheers of the crowd, estimated by the Vatican at around 80,000 people.
Pope Leo said the Church 'must open the borders between peoples and break down the barriers between class and race'.
People must move 'beyond our fear of those who are different', he said, noting that the Holy Spirit 'breaks down barriers and tears down the walls of indifference and hatred...'
'Where there is love, there is no room for prejudice, for 'security' zones separating us from our neighbours, for the exclusionary mindset that, tragically, we now see emerging also in political nationalisms.'
Pope Leo did not speak of physical borders but his focus on barriers and walls evoked the politics of US President Donald Trump, who has vowed to stem illegal immigration into the United States.
The Pope also said the Holy Spirit was an antidote to toxic relationships marked by 'suspicion, prejudice or the desire to manipulate others'.
'With great pain,' he cited 'cases where relationships are marked by an unhealthy desire for domination, an attitude that often leads to violence, as is shown, tragically, by numerous recent cases of femicide'.
In Italy, a slew of femicides have become front-page news over the last month, including the killing of a 14-year girl by her boyfriend last week.
Pope Leo also cited the dangers of social media, saying it risked making people 'ever more alone' within a 'vortex of individualism'.
'Constantly connected, yet incapable of 'networking'. Always immersed in a crowd, yet confused and solitary travellers,' he said.
Since his election, Pope Leo has offered to mediate between leaders of countries at war and earlier this week, he had his first telephone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Several speeches made by the new pontiff – including among his first words from St Peter's Basilica when he became Pope on May 8 – have focused on building bridges between individuals and peoples.
Pentecost marks the end of the Easter season and commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles and disciples of Jesus Christ. AFP
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
3 hours ago
- Straits Times
Tens of thousands join protest in Madrid against Pedro Sanchez's government
Spanish opposition leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo (centre) taking part in the anti-government demonstration on June 8, in Madrid, Spain. PHOTO: EPA-EFE MADRID - Tens of thousands of people rallied on June 8 in an opposition-organised demonstration in Madrid accusing the government of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez of corruption. Protesters, many waving red and yellow Spanish flags, massed in the Plaza de Espana, a large square in the centre of the Spanish capital, and chanted 'Pedro Sanchez, resign!'. 'The expiry date on this government passed a long time ago. It's getting tiring,' Ms Blanca Requejo, a 46-year-old store manager who wore a Spanish flag drapped over her back, told AFP at the demonstration. The Popular Party (PP) called the rally after leaked audio recordings allegedly documented a member of the Socialist party, Leire Diez, waging a smear campaign against a police unit that investigated graft allegations against Mr Sanchez's wife, brother and his former right-hand man. Ms Diez has denied the allegations, telling reporters on June 4 that she was conducting research for a book and was not working on behalf of the party or Mr Sanchez. She also resigned from Mr Sanchez's Socialist Workers' party. PP leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo has accused the government of 'mafia practices' over the affair, and said Mr Sanchez is 'at the centre' of multiple corruption scandals. 'This government has stained everything – politics, state institutions, the separation of powers,' he told the rally, going on to urge Sanchez to call early elections. The PP estimated that more than 100,000 people attended the rally, held under the slogan 'Mafia or Democracy.' The central government's representative in Madrid put the turnout between 45,000 and 50,000. 'Go away' The government's spokeswoman, Pilar Alegria, mocked the turnout, writing on X that veteran Spanish rock duo Estopa drew a larger crowd to their recent concert at Madrid's Wanda Metropolitano stadium than 'the apocalyptic Feijoo at the Plaza de Espana.' Mr Sanchez has dismissed the probes against members of his inner circle as part of a 'smear campaign' carried out by the right wing to undermine his government. He came to power in June 2018 after ousting his PP predecessor, Mariano Rajoy, in a no-confidence vote over a corruption scandals affecting involving the conservative party. Mr Rafael Redondo, a 73-year-old real estate agent, said the corruption cases that have affected the PP were 'completely different'. 'The corruption that may have existed in the PP involved individuals acting on their own. But the Socialist Party is a criminal organisation which has committed crimes from A to Z,' he told AFP at the rally. Ms Maria del Mar Tome, a 59-year-old businesswoman, said she had turned up because 'we want Pedro Sanchez to go away once and for all, because this man is corrupt, he's a liar.' Poll lead This is the sixth protest which the PP has organised against the government since Mr Feijoo took the helm of the party in April 2022 The demonstration comes as the PP is gearing up for an extraordinary party congress set for July. Originally set for 2026, Mr Feijoo moved the event forward, citing the need for the party to 'be prepared' in case of early national elections in what was seen as an effort to consolidate his power. Mr Rajoy and another former PP prime minister, Jose Maria Aznar, attended June 8's rally, along with several heads of regional governments. Recent polls show the PP holding only a slim lead over the Socialists. although Mr Sanchez remains the most highly rated party leader among voters. One in four voters, 24.6 per cent, said Mr Sanchez is their favourite party leader to lead the country, ahead of the leader of far-right party Vox, Santiago Abascal, who was picked by 17.1 per cent, according to a poll published on June 9 in daily newspaper El Pais. Mr Feijoo was the third most popular option, with 16.6 per cent. The next general election is expected in 2027. AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
5 hours ago
- Straits Times
Israel says to block Gaza-bound aid boat carrying Greta Thunberg
Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg (far left and far right) on the Gaza-bound aid boat on June 1. PHOTOS: REUTERS – Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz on June 8 ordered the military to block an aid boat headed for Gaza with 12 activists on board, including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg. 'I have instructed the military to prevent the Madleen flotilla from reaching Gaza,' he said in a statement from his office. 'To Greta the anti-Semite and her companions, Hamas propaganda mouthpieces, I say clearly: turn back because you will not reach Gaza,' Mr Katz said. The organisers of the Madleen's voyage said on June 7 that they had reached Egyptian waters and were nearing Gaza, where the war between Israel and Hamas has entered its 21st month. The Madleen, a sailing boat operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, left Italy on June 1 with the stated aim of delivering humanitarian aid and breaking the Israeli blockade on the Palestinian territory. 'Israel will not allow anyone to break the naval blockade of Gaza, which is aimed at preventing weapons from reaching Hamas – a murderous terrorist group holding our hostages and committing war crimes,' Mr Katz said. 'Israel will act against any attempt to break the blockade or support terror groups – by sea, air or land,' he added. The war was sparked by Hamas' Oct 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people on the Israeli side, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official figures. On June 8 , the Health Ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said the overall toll for the Gaza war had reached 54,880, the majority of whom were civilians. The UN considers these figures reliable. AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
5 hours ago
- Straits Times
PM Fico says Slovakia will block EU sanctions on Russia if they harm national interests
PM Fico says Slovakia will block EU sanctions on Russia if they harm national interests Slovakia will block any European Union sanctions against Russia that damage its national interests, Prime Minister Robert Fico said on Sunday after parliament approved a resolution calling on the government not to back any new measures. Fico said that Slovakia wanted to stay constructive within the bloc, but he called the resolution a political tool with a strong message. "If there is a sanction that would harm us, I will never vote for it," Fico told a news conference shown on his party's YouTube page. Slovakia, a NATO and European Union member, has diverged from Western allies in its position on Ukraine under Fico and his leftist-nationalist government coalition, and stopped official state military aid to Kyiv as it battles Russia's invasion. Fico has also been an opponent of sanctioning Russia for its war against Ukraine, saying trade measures damage Slovakia and the EU more than Moscow. The new resolution, approved in a thinly attended parliamentary session, committed government members not to vote for new sanctions and trade limitations towards Russia. It had not been immediately clear to what extent the resolution was constitutionally binding. Fico said he could not support any measure stopping the import of Russian fuel for Slovakia's nuclear power plants. "I am interested in being a constructive player in the European Union, but not at the expense of Slovakia." Slovakia has not blocked any previous EU sanctions, including a 17th package targeting Moscow's shadow fleet, adopted in May. Attempts to hit Russia's gas and nuclear sectors have consistently hit obstacles, with opposition from Slovakia and other countries, like Hungary, that still rely on Russian energy supplies. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
