Pope Francis lamented the murder of Darya Dugina, the daughter of Russian philosopher and ally of President Putin, Alexander Dugin.
He referred to her to show that war is a vicious cycle that leads both sides to commit heinous atrocities.
POPE FRANCIS
I think of so much cruelty, so many innocents who are paying the price because of this madness. This insanity. The madness on all sides because war is madness and no one in war can say, no, I am not mad. The insanity of war. I think of a poor girl blown into the air by a bomb that was under the seat of the car in Moscow. Innocent people pay for war. Innocents.
The Pope called those who benefit from war—commercially and economically—delinquents as they destroy normal life. He remembered the 6 months of war in Ukraine and the children whose lives have drastically changed as a result of the war.
POPE FRANCIS
So many Ukrainian and Russian children who have become orphans. Orphanhood has no nationality. They lost their fathers, their mothers—no matter if they were Russian or Ukrainian.
During the audience, Pope Francis concluded his catechesis on the beauty of old age and the elderly with a message of hope reflecting on the Assumption of Mary.
POPE FRANCIS
This gesture of caring love gives us a glimpse into what awaits us after we pass to the other shore. Yes, dear brothers and sisters, especially you elderly, the best part of life is yet to be seen.
This General Audience comes before the Consistory on August 27 when Pope Francis will welcome 20 new men to the College of Cardinals.
KG
