Pope Leo XIV calls for respect for those who think differently
At his General Audience on September 16, Pope Leo XIV said cultural and intellectual diversity should be treated as a chance for mutual enrichment, and rejected attitudes of confrontation, which he said stem from sin
At the General Audience in St. Peter's Square on September 16, Pope Leo XIV said diversity of culture and of thought should not be seen as a threat but as an occasion for mutual enrichment. He said attitudes of confrontation, which often end in violence, are the fruit of sin and of its influence on human thinking and action at every level, sowing destruction and death.
The pope was continuing his cycle of catechesis on Gaudium et Spes, the pastoral constitution approved by the Second Vatican Council on December 7, 1965. He urged the faithful to adopt a logic of reciprocity, self-giving and mutual care. The pope said the document's message still holds today and that it places human relationships at the center.
Advances in communications media and artificial intelligence have helped break down barriers, the pope said, but have also driven interactions to become 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 promoting social relationships with a genuinely human meaning and personal depth.
The pope recalled that Gaudium et Spes defines the common good as "the sum total of social conditions which allow people, either as groups or as individuals, to reach their fulfillment more fully and more easily." He added that the interdependence of peoples requires each group to take into account the needs and legitimate aspirations of others, along with the 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 text, which condemns whatever is opposed to life, including murder, genocide, abortion and euthanasia, as well as violations of the integrity of the person and subhuman living conditions.
The pope also stressed the need to show respect and love toward those who hold different opinions. As a third consequence, he said the fundamental equality of all human beings calls for social justice, and he called for moving beyond an individualistic mentality and taking on responsibility and active participation.
At the end of the audience, the pope greeted the various groups of pilgrims present. He thanked prison chaplains for their apostolic work and for their role as bearers of the Gospel and of 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 genuine human closeness.
