Pope Francis touched on many topics of current events during his conversation with journalists in Kazakhstan.
WAR IN UKRAINE
The Pope said giving arms to Ukraine is morally acceptable under certain circumstances. He noted that it “can be immoral if it is done with the intention of provoking more war, selling weapons, or discarding weapons that are no longer needed.
DIALOGUE WITH RUSSIA
The Pope said that he does not rule out dialogue with countries that provoke war. He said that although it is something that “smells bad,” it has to be done. Otherwise, the door to peace is closed.
EUTHANASIA
The Pope was also asked about euthanasia, and Pope Francis responded bluntly, saying “killing is not human, period,” and said it is something to leave “to the beasts.”
CHINA
Before religious leaders at the interfaith congress in Kazakhstan, Pope Francis spoke on religious liberty. On the plane, he was asked about his thoughts on the situation in China.
In the coming days, Cardinal Zen will be tried there for accusations of working with foreign powers to organize a fund to support members of Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement.
The Pope responded very carefully, saying that the situation in China is difficult to understand, and that he is not convinced that China should be qualified as “antidemocratic” although they may seem so.
NICARAGUA
On persecution of the Catholic Church by the Nicaraguan government, Pope Francis shared that there is currently dialogue between the Holy See and the government.
He said the expulsion of Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity and the Vatican's ambassador from the country is “difficult to understand.”
TRIPS
The Pope also said that he hopes to travel soon to Bahrain, as well as make a trip to South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo in February.
Though he said that his knee has not yet fully healed.
JRB
TR: JM
