Pope Francis Appeals for Displaced Women and Children in Syria

Calling for peaceful negotiation and humanitarian protection, Pope Francis prayed a Hail Mary for Syrians threatened by the violence in Syria’s northwest.

“I renew my heartfelt appeal to the international community and to all the actors involved to make use of diplomatic instruments, dialogue and negotiations, in compliance with international humanitarian law, to safeguard the life and fate of civilians,” Pope Francis said during his Angelus address.

Pope Francis also called for prayer to eliminate “the plague” of human trafficking following the World Day of Prayer, Reflection, and Action against Trafficking in Persons, which occurs each year on the feast of St. Josephine Bakhita.
 
Human trafficking is a $150 billion business with 25 million victims worldwide, according to International Labor Organization statistics.

The pope said “everyone’s commitment is needed” to end human trafficking’s exploitation of the weakest. “It's a real plague,” he said.

“In the face of violence, injustice, oppression, the Christian cannot close in on himself or hide in the safety of his own fence; even the Church cannot close in on herself. She cannot abandon her mission of evangelization and service,” Pope Francis said.

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Francis prayed to the Blessed Virgin Mary to help each Catholic to be salt and light in the world, caring for the little ones and the poor and bringing the good news of God’s love to everyone.

“The Church listens to the cry of the least and the excluded because she is aware of being a pilgrim community called to extend the salvific presence of Jesus Christ in history,” he said.

Courtney Mares is a Rome Correspondent for Catholic News Agency. A graduate of Harvard University, she has reported from news bureaus on three continents and was awarded the Gardner Fellowship for her work with North Korean refugees.