Pope Leo XIV calls for respect toward those who think differently
At his general audience on September 16 in St. Peter's Square, Pope Leo XIV said cultural and intellectual diversity should be treated as a chance for mutual enrichment rather than a threat
Cultural diversity and differences of thought should not be seen as a threat but as an opportunity for mutual enrichment, Pope Leo XIV said at his general audience on September 16 in St. Peter's Square. Confrontational attitudes, which often end in violence, are a consequence of sin and of the way sin shapes thinking and behavior at every level, bringing destruction and death, he said.
The pope continued his series of catecheses on the pastoral constitution Gaudium et Spes, approved by the Second Vatican Council on December 7, 1965. He called on the community to adopt a logic of reciprocity, sharing and caring for one another, as the members of a single body would. The document's message is urgent, he said, and it stresses the importance of human relationships today.
Progress in communications and artificial intelligence has helped bring down barriers, the pope said, but it has also made human interaction increasingly virtual and less personal. He warned against handing over to algorithms decisions that should be made by the human conscience, and said the Christian community has the mission of fostering social relationships with a genuinely human character and personal depth.
The pope recalled that Gaudium et Spes defines the common good as "the sum of those conditions of social life which allow both groups and each of their members to reach their own fulfillment more fully and more easily." He also spoke of the interdependence of peoples, saying each group must take into account the needs and legitimate aspirations of others, as well as the common good of all humanity.
Practical consequences of the common good
The pope set out several practical consequences of the common good, beginning with respect for human dignity. He cited the conciliar document, which condemns everything that offends against life, such as murder, genocide, abortion and euthanasia, along with violations of the integrity of the person and subhuman living conditions.
Second, the pope said respect and love must be shown even toward those who hold different opinions. Finally, he said the fundamental equality of all human beings demands social justice, and he called for moving beyond an individualistic mentality toward an attitude of responsibility and participation.
At the end of the audience, the pope greeted the groups of pilgrims present and thanked prison chaplains for their apostolic work and for carrying the Gospel and Christian hope. He also greeted participants in a course on pharmaceutical care, encouraging them to combine their scientific expertise with an integral view of the person and human closeness.
