Franco Pisano

In his address to the interfaith meeting in Abu Dhabi, Francis said that religions must oppose violence and war. Education and justice are "the wings" of peace. Human fraternity and the right of citizenship, i.e. equality between citizens, can ensure religious freedom.

Francis visits the presidential palace. It is the first trip of a Pope to the United Arab Emirates and, more generally, to the Arabian peninsula. Gisotti: "an important opportunity to promote and strengthen interreligious dialogue".

On the day of the Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple, Francis affirms that when it blooms, consecrated life is a call "to counter mediocrity: to counter a devaluation of our spiritual life, to counter the temptation to reduce God’s importance, to counter an accommodation to a comfortable and worldly life, to counter complaints – complaints! – dissatisfaction and self-pity, to counter a mentality of resignation and “we have always done it this way”: this is not God’s way".

Receiving the international mixed commission for the theological dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Churches, Francis notes that "between the East and the West" the various theological formulas often complement rather than oppose eachother", as the Council declared.

We all go through "dark moments" in which things seem to lose meaning, but it is then that Christians must "persevere" to "reach the promise" of the Lord, without "letting oneself fall" or "going backwards". And even "when the devil attacks us with temptations", "with our miseries", we must "always look to the Lord".

On the day dedicated to the founder of the Salesian order, Francis said that priests should look "with the eyes of human beings and the eyes of God". He did not reach out only with Catechism and the Crucifix, telling people “Do this!” No, "He got them to play, put them in a group, like brothers . . . he went forth, walked with them; he heard with them, saw them, cried with them and brought them on forward”.

Video message to the "Dear People of the United Arab Emirates". Faith in God "unites and does not divide, brings people closer despite their differences, and distances us from hostility and aversion.”

At the general audience, Francis retraced the steps of the recent Panama World Youth Day. "As long as there are new generations capable of saying 'here I am' to God, there will be a future for the world". "People held up their children, saying, 'Here is my pride, here is my future!' How much dignity in this gesture, and how eloquent it is for the demographic winter we are living in Europe!

During his meeting with the Roman Rota for the start of the judicial year, Francis said that “it is necessary for the Church, in all her articulations, to act in harmony to offer adequate spiritual and pastoral support” to Catholic spouses, who, in turn, represent “a precious pastoral help to the Church.”

Abortion, migrants, sex education, celibacy and abuse are the main themes faced by Francis in his presser with journalists during his flight back from Panama. To women who have had abortions: "Your child is in heaven, talk to him, sing the lullaby that you could not sing".

Marking the end of World Youth Day, Francis urged young people not to wait. “Realize that you have a mission and fall in love; that will decide everything. We may possess everything, but if we lack the passion of love, we will have nothing. Let us allow the Lord to make us fall in love!” The 35th WYD will be held in Portugal.

Speaking to some 600,000 young people, Francis stressed the importance of Mary's ‘yes’. “Saying ‘yes’ to the Lord means preparing to embrace life as it comes, with all its fragility, its simplicity, and often enough too, with its conflicts and annoyances”. For too many, “It is easy enough to criticize and complain about young people if we are depriving them of the jobs, education and community opportunities they need to take root and to dream of a future. Without education, it is difficult to dream of a future”.