Pope Francis appeals to stop colonizing people with weapons

Recalling that one of the actions that characterize Jubilees is the remission of debts, the Pope said, “I, therefore, encourage everyone to support the campaign by Caritas Internationalis titled ‘Transform Debt into Hope,’ to relieve countries oppressed by unsustainable debts and promote development.”

Decrying that the issue of debt is generally linked to that of peace and the “black market” of arms, the Pope appealed: “Stop colonizing people with weapons!”

“Let us work for disarmament, let us work against hunger, against diseases, against child labor,” he said, as well as for “peace in the whole world, especially in war-torn Ukraine, Gaza, Myanmar, North Kivu, and many other countries at war.”