Pope Leo: “The Greatest Destroyer of Peace Today is Abortion”

Pope Leo XIV invoked the words of Mother Teresa of Calcutta to declare that “the greatest destroyer of peace today is abortion,” urging young political innovators to reject policies that deny life to the unborn in a powerful defense of human dignity.

In an address to participants in the “Political Innovation Hackathon: One Humanity, One Planet,” the pontiff called Mother Teresa’s 1994 statement at the United States National Prayer Breakfast “prophetic,” adding that “no policy can genuinely serve the people if it denies the unborn the gift of life, or if it neglects to support those in need.”

The event, organized by the Focolare Movement and held in the Vatican’s Clementine Hall, gathered young people from diverse nations, cultures and religious traditions to promote the common good through political engagement and synodality — attending to others’ perspectives, cultivating comprehensive outlooks and seeking truth.

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Leo emphasized that true peace cannot exist “while humanity wages war against itself—by discarding the weak, excluding the poor, and remaining indifferent to refugees and the oppressed.”

He stressed that “only those who care for the least among us are capable of accomplishing what is truly great,” framing the protection of vulnerable life as essential to building a just society.

The pope described peace as a gift, a covenant and a promise received from predecessors, binding people to safeguard it and offering hope for a better world.

He urged the young leaders to foster harmony in daily settings like universities and workplaces, questioning, “If we are unable to foster harmony within a university or a workplace, or among political parties and civic associations, how can we hope to build peace within an entire society, or between peoples and continents?”

Leo praised the participants’ “Four Dreams” project, inspired by Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation “Querida Amazonia,” which calls for renewal in ecclesial, ecological, social and cultural dimensions.

He linked the conference theme to “One God,” inviting recognition of the Creator and contributions from religious traditions to the common good.

The address concluded with Leo imparting his Apostolic Blessing, underscoring the role of faith in advancing peace and justice while prioritizing the sanctity of life.

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