Pope Francis "...nothing can justify the use of such instruments of extermination against defenseless people and populations." Regina Caeli - FULL TEXT

POPE FRANCIS

REGINA COELI

St. Peter's Square
Sunday of Divine Mercy, 8 April 2018



Dear brothers and sisters,

Before the final Blessing, we will address in prayer to our heavenly Mother. But first of all I would like to thank all of you who have participated in this celebration, especially the Missionaries of Mercy, gathered for their meeting. Thank you for your service!

To our brothers and sisters of the Eastern Churches who today, according to the Julian calendar, celebrate the Solemnity of Easter, I offer my best wishes. May the Risen Lord fill them with light and peace, and comfort the communities that live in particularly difficult situations.

A special greeting to the Roma and the Sinti present here on the occasion of their International Day, the "Roman Dives". I wish peace and brotherhood to the members of these ancient peoples, and I hope that today's day will foster the culture of encounter, with the good will to know each other and respect each other. This is the road that leads to true integration. Dear Rom and Sinti, pray for me and pray together for your Syrian refugee brothers.

I greet all the other pilgrims present here, the parish groups, the families, the associations; and together we place ourselves under the mantle of Mary, Mother of Mercy

Regina Caeli ...

APPEAL

Terrible news of bombing comes from Syria with dozens of victims, many of whom are women and children. News of so many people affected by the effects of chemical substances contained in the bombs. We pray for all the dead, for the injured, for the families who suffer. There is no good and bad war, and nothing, nothing can justify the use of such instruments of extermination against defenseless people and populations. We pray that the political and military leaders choose the other way, that of negotiation, the only one that can lead to a peace that is not that of death and destruction.
SOURCE: VATICAN.VA - Unofficial Translation