Pope Francis and Human Fraternity

Abstract

Pope Francis’ meetings and travels are a powerful moment for the implementation of the Church’s teaching, thought and pontifical plan. It is clear that divine mercy, synodality and human fraternity constitute the core of his pontifical teaching and his plan for the renewal of the Church for a better mission in today’s world. In the foundations of these three pillars of the Pope’s thought, some perceive an attachment to the primordial Gospel message, to the theology of the People of God explained in the second chapter of Lumen Gentium, and to openness to the world, in particular to Islam.

Since the beginning of his pontificate, Pope Francis has had a special concern for the peoples of the Middle East, a region marked by conflict, suffering and injustice, where religious, cultural and human diversity is both a considerable richness and a source of sometimes-cruel confrontation. The speeches of Pope Francis in Abu Dhabi (2019), Iraq (2021), Cyprus and Greece (2021) will continuously remind of the foundations of human brotherhood in the service of peace and harmony among peoples. Sr. Tidola Abdo presents us with the chronicles of his trips to the Middle East, punctuated by some emblematic speeches and followed by an analysis by Souraya Bechealany, former Secretary General of CEMO, who was present in Abu Dhabi and Bari.