‘Forgetful’ Europe and ‘useless massacres’
Our editorial director, Andrea Tornielli, reflects on Pope Francis’ powerful call for European leaders to seek the path of dialogue in order to restore peace across the continent.
By Andrea Tornielli
Peace, negotiations, diplomatic work, honorable compromises. From Luxembourg, a small country at the crossroads of many European historical events, Pope Francis launches an appeal for peace to Europe, calling on it not to repeat the mistakes of the past. He invites Europe not to forget.
In his words, what is striking is the expression “useless massacre”, an expression reminiscent of that used by Pope Benedict XV to describe the carnage of the First World War.
Addressing Luxembourg authorities, the Pope observed “the re-emergence, even on the European continent, of divisions and enmities which, instead of being resolved on the basis of mutual goodwill, negotiation and efforts diplomatic, result in open hostilities, leading to destruction and death. »
How can we not think of Ukraine, attacked by Russia, a war which has already caused a million victims between dead and wounded, and which has devastated the country? A war waged between Christians who share the same faith, the same baptism and the same liturgy.
Pope Francis then lamented that the human heart seems incapable of “remembering.” Yes, it is indeed a forgetful Europe which risks returning to the path of war. To avoid “further unnecessary massacres,” he added, we need “noble and profound spiritual values, which prevent reason from succumbing to stupidity and letting ourselves go to the realization of good.” the same mistakes of the past, mistakes made even worse by the greater technological power that human beings now have. »
The Bishop of Rome also spoke of the specific responsibility of leaders, of those in authority, describing it as an “urgent need” to engage with perseverance and patience in honest negotiations aimed at resolving conflicts. He called on people to “find honorable compromises, which compromise nothing and can, on the contrary, build security and peace for all”.
Peace, negotiations, diplomatic work, honorable compromises: words which seem to have disappeared from the vocabulary of leaders, even European ones, at a time when the emphasis is solely on weapons and on the billions to be invested in instruments of death. As some leaders threaten to use nuclear weapons, as the number of civilians killed by drone-guided bombs increases and as states invest enormous sums in weapons, diverting resources from the fight against hunger, health care, education and environmental protection, this is where people need to make their voices heard.
The words spoken by Paul VI on January 29, 1966 regarding UN arbitration on the Vietnam War remain as relevant as ever: “It is a serious, very serious responsibility to reject negotiations, the only way today to end the conflict, without leaving any traces. the decision to use weapons, increasingly terrible weapons. People are watching us! And God will have to judge us!”
