Pope Leo XIV: Fight for peace and justice in times of crisis!

Pope Leo XIV: Fight for peace and justice in times of crisis!

September 13, 2025 is a significant day for the Catholic Church as today Pope Leo XIV celebrates a milestone in his pontificate. Bishop Bätzing expressed his blessing to the Pope in a heartfelt greeting and wished him much strength in his Peter's service. The bishop is impressed by the first months of the new pope's work, who makes it clear with his presence and his services that the church is close to the people. Bätzing describes Leo XIV as a bridge builder who courageously proclaimed the Christian faith and emphasizes that many people were encouraged to get involved in the church through his work. The Pope's appeals for peace, especially in conflict areas such as Ukraine and the Middle East, also deserve special thanks.

In his first audience with accredited diplomats on Friday, Pope Leo XIV outlined the central pillars of his diplomacy: peace, justice and truth. He made it clear that today's challenges - from migration to the preservation of creation to the ethical use of artificial intelligence - are more urgent than ever. The Pope calls for full religious freedom in every country and emphasizes the need for sincere dialogue between different cultures and religions. His desire to get to know other cultures during his pontificate underlines the intercultural exchange that he considers essential. For him, peace is not just the absence of war, but an active gift that brings with it responsibilities and obligations, as the Pope explained.

The foundation of peace and justice

One of his most important statements emphasized that sustainable peacekeeping can only be achieved through investments in families. According to Leo XIV, this stable union, based on the relationship between man and woman, provides the basis for a peaceful society. In his speech on May 16, 2025 to over 100 ambassadors in the Clementine Hall in the Vatican, he referred to the social encyclical Rerum Novarum to underscore the Church's role in proclaiming the truth about humanity and the world.

The Pope called on heads of state and government to assume their responsibility to actively address inequalities and injustices. He also placed a clear focus on human dignity, particularly that of the weakest and most vulnerable. It is important to him to fearlessly speak the truth in times when fake news and media manipulation are rampant.

The path to a harmonious civil society

The call for world peace also includes a return to multilateral diplomacy and the revival of interreligious dialogue. In his remarks on the subject of migration, Leo XIV emphasized that not only the refugees themselves, but also the receiving societies must play an active role in this process. The EU's Ambassador to the Holy See, Martin Selmayr, praised the Pope's clarity on the challenges facing Europe and the world.

Pope Leo Whether in Ukraine or the Holy Land, wherever suffering is particularly great, his message is heard and his role as a peacemaker is respected.