Fratelli Tutti 283: Against Hate and Violence

As Aretha Franklin might advise, it is all about respect:

283. Sincere and humble worship of God “bears fruit not in discrimination, hatred and violence, but in respect for the sacredness of life, respect for the dignity and freedom of others, and loving commitment to the welfare of all”. [Homily, Colombo, Sri Lanka(14 January 2015): AAS 107 (2015), 139] Truly, “whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love” (1 Jn 4:8).

Terrorism done in the name of a faith is always a perversion of religion:

For this reason, “terrorism is deplorable and threatens the security of people – be they in the East or the West, the North or the South – and disseminates panic, terror and pessimism, but this is not due to religion, even when terrorists instrumentalize it. It is due, rather, to an accumulation of incorrect interpretations of religious texts and to policies linked to hunger, poverty, injustice, oppression and pride. That is why it is so necessary to stop supporting terrorist movements fueled by financing, the provision of weapons and strategy, and by attempts to justify these movements, even using the media. All these must be regarded as international crimes that threaten security and world peace. Such terrorism must be condemned in all its forms and expressions”. [Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together, Abu Dhabi (4 February 2019): L’Osservatore Romano, 4-5 February 2019, p. 7]

A reminder about the sanctity of human life, a core value that stands against hate and aggression:

Religious convictions about the sacred meaning of human life permit us “to recognize the fundamental values of our common humanity, values in the name of which we can and must cooperate, build and dialogue, pardon and grow; this will allow different voices to unite in creating a melody of sublime nobility and beauty, instead of fanatical cries of hatred”. [Address to Civil Authorities, Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina (6 June 2015): L’Osservatore Romano, 7 June 2015, p. 7]

All citations of Fratelli Tutti (which can be found on this link) are © Copyright – Libreria Editrice Vaticana

 

About catholicsensibility

Todd lives in Minnesota, serving a Catholic parish as a lay minister.
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