A senior Vatican cardinal has stated that Pope Francis is constantly speaking out on issues as war, migration, and climate change in order to address world leaders on the ‘suicidal decisions’ they are taking.
Cardinal Michael Czerny, who leads a Vatican department focused on social justice, stressed that while Francis might face criticism or being misunderstood, he has a moral imperative to speak out on behalf of Catholics.
“I think [what] he would say is, I speak out because of the commitment of the faithful. In other words, I’m not speaking because I have personally some kind of a special response to give. No, I speak out because there are millions of Catholics and other Christians and other believers and other people of good will for whom or in whose voice I’m speaking,” he told CNN. “And we’re trying to say to the world’s decision-makers that their decisions are anti-human, short-sighted, suicidal.”
The cardinal’s remarks came after the pope met with reporters on Monday January 22 at the Vatican, where he underlined the importance of responsible journalism in today’s world.
“Being a journalist is a vocation, somewhat like that of a doctor, who chooses to love humanity by curing illnesses,” the Pope said. “In a certain sense, the journalist does likewise, choosing to touch personally the wounds of society and the world.”
From the moment of his election almost 11 years ago, the 87-year-old pontiff has been a news-maker. His decision to avoid the trappings of office, live simply in a Vatican guesthouse and call for a “poor church for the poor” caught the attention of the world. But it’s been his willingness to address the pressing issues of the day that has made him a pope with a voice on the global stage.
