Pope Francis Offers Reflections on World Challenges and Social Issues in Television Interview

(Vatican News Network)As a special guest, Pope Francis recorded a program in the studio of Italian National Television, talking freely about social challenges, international situation and other issues. This episode aired on Sunday, June 4 in the “In His Image” interview titled “The Power of Life.”

Talking about the pursuit of world peace, the Pope called it “an issue that has existed since the beginning of mankind”: “If there is peace, there is always something to gain, even if it is not much, but there is always something to gain. However, if it is war, All is lost, all! This is what is called “winning is also losing”. Pope Bergoglio quotes Pius XII’s 1939 radio appeal to world leaders: “In times of peace nothing is lost, Everything is lost in war.”

Pope Francis reiterated this statement, referring to the conflict in Ukraine and war and violence in many parts of the world. The Pope sadly pointed out that the violence in war, especially the pleasure of torture, can also be seen in the media, but the horrible reality of war must be stopped.

Speaking of the media, Pope Francis said frankly that this is the first time he has been in a studio, and he rarely watches TV because TV was not widely available when he was a child. Regarding the important role played by the media today, the Pope pointed out that “the media must help people discover each other, understand each other, make friends, and help people to get rid of those evils that can destroy life”. This activism means not only talking about faith and God, but always defending and remembering the dimension of humanity, our common humanity.

Additionally, this episode discusses important events for the Church, including the upcoming 2025 Jubilee. The opportunity of the Jubilee, said the Pope, will bring “everyone closer to each other and to God, to solve problems, to grant forgiveness. The most beautiful thing a person can do is to grant forgiveness”.

The Pope thus recalled how his grandmother Rosa taught him to love the Virgin Mary: “She often spoke to me about Saint Joseph and the Virgin Mary, but Jesus was always at the center,” the Pope emphasized. , the principle of Christ as the core is the key to distinguish whether the news of the apparition of the Virgin Mary is true or not. “The Virgin Mary does appear, but every time she points to Jesus, not to herself”.

Grief was also a theme of the day’s show. When the Pope was released from Rome’s Gemelli Hospital in April, he embraced a grieving mother whose daughter had died the previous day. This scene was captured by the media and moved many people. While the pope was a guest on the show, the parents, who had just lost their daughter, were also invited to attend. The Pope mentioned the importance of “tenderness” and “accompanying the wounded”, pointing out that sometimes it is not necessary to speak, but silent companionship and gentle actions are needed.

During the program, the pope reiterated what he often calls “the style of God”, namely: “closeness, mercy and tenderness”. Children must be taught this, the Pope stressed, because “we either choose the path of love and tenderness or the path of indifference”.

The Pope finally encouraged parents to “train their children to know that there are limits”, otherwise they will cause harm. Children need to learn to caress and love, the Pope said, but also to learn “rejection of love”, not capriciousness. The Pope also told teachers: they should not only help students learn and grow, but also teach that there are limits to the needs of life.

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