SW News:

The Holy Father reiterated the priority to protect human life which is facing risk because of the “throwaway culture”, referring to euthanasia and abortion while addressing members of civil society, the diplomatic corps and civil authorities in Lisbon on August 2. While addressing the 1000-strong gathering in the Belem Cultural Center in Lisbon, the pontiff spoke of the need to welcome, protect and integrate all “those who come from far away and knock at our doors”.

“Where are you going [Europe] if, faced with the torment of living, you limit yourself to offering quick and wrong remedies such as easy access to death, a convenient solution that seems sweet, but in reality is more bitter than the waters of the sea,” said the pope, who was welcomed by President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.

On the first day of his apostolic visit to Portugal, the pontiff raised questions about the course followed by the continent of Europe pointing out three areas of concern—barbed wire fences, deaths from the sea and empty cradles”. He was referring to the issue of migrants, the deaths of migrants in the Mediterranean and the demographic winter facing the continent in general.

He also questioned the course charted by Europe, saying “Where are you sailing if you don’t offer paths of peace?” He defended the importance of the continent in the world in order to build bridges of solidarity and to bring peace to Eastern Europe, the Mediterranean and the Middle East. He said Europe has the ability to bring peace diplomacy to the international scenario to extinguish conflict. The pontiff also made a mention of the bloodshed in Ukraine and other conflicts across the world.

Pope Francis also did not spare the arms race by saying sophisticated weapons “do not represent investments for the future”. He also expressed his desire that the ongoing World Youth Day will be an impulse of universal openness for the old continent, referring to Europe. He also heaped praise on Lisbon by hailing its inclusivity and made liberal use of nautical metaphors to drive home his point.

Lisbon is filled with flowers and the sea, said the pope adding that the infinite sea is carved in the heart of each Portuguese. This country borders the ocean and that defines the continent, said the pope.