Philippine E-Journals

Pope Francis: Renewing Roman Catholic Approaches to Peace

Thomas Massaro

 

Abstract:

Under the leadership of Pope Francis, the Roman Catholic Church has renewed its commitment to peace and intensified its pursuit of peaceful settlement of conflicts throughout the world. Through stirring words and rich symbolic actions, Francis has displayed his tireless support for the processes whereby quarrelling parties resolve their differences and together build a more peaceful future. This essay describes four contributions of Francis to peacebuilding: 1) his diplomatic initiatives; 2) his pastoral visits to many countries experiencing conflict; 3) documents published on the topic of peace; and 4) a distinctive structural analysis that informs the pursuit of peace on the part of Francis.