"Hope needs to be restored to our European societies, especially to the new generations" he told people gathered in St Peter's Square for his weekly general audience on September 27.

"In fact, how can we welcome others if we ourselves do not first have a horizon open to the future?" he said.

"Our societies, many times sickened by individualism, by consumerism and by empty escapism, need to open themselves, their souls and spirits to be oxygenised, and then they will be able to read the crisis as an opportunity and deal with it positively," he emphasised.

Human-centric outlook

Reflecting on his recent visit to Marseille, France for the "Rencontres Méditerranéennes," or Mediterranean Encounter, the Pope highlighted the importance of fostering a human-centric outlook when confronting issues in the Mediterranean region, such as immigration.

He noted the emergence of hope and fraternity, even among those who have endured inhumane conditions.

He encouraged the continent of Europe to cultivate this passion and enthusiasm so that the Mediterranean region could be "a mosaic of civilisation and hope" rather than "a tomb" or a "place of conflict".

"The Mediterranean Sea," the pope said, "is the complete opposite of the clash between civilisations, war and human trafficking."

The Pope's visit to Marseille left a lasting impression of hope and humanity. He thanked the people of Marseille and President Emmanuel Macron for their warmth and support during his visit.

"Today's liturgical memorial of St Vincent de Paul reminds us of the centrality of love of neighbour" the pope said. "I urge everyone to cultivate the attitude of caring for others and openness to those who need you."

Sources

Catholic News Agency

National Catholic Reporter

CathNews New Zealand

Francis defined bad compassion as the law not to let the child grow in the mother's womb or the law of euthanasia in disease and old age."

Clarifying, he added "I am not saying it is a faith thing, but it is a human thing."

Francis remained adamant that life should not be toyed with "either at its inception or its conclusion."

The Pope's remarks came as he was en route from Marseille to Rome, following a two-day visit to the southern French city.

France on verge of legalising assisted suicide

Francis' comments were made against a background that France is on the cusp of potentially legalising assisted suicide and euthanasia through a contentious legislative proposal.

The parliamentary vote on the matter was been deferred to September 26-28, coincidentally following the Pope's visit to the country.

While Francis did not discuss euthanasia directly with French President Emmanuel Macron during their recent meeting, he emphasised that he had made his stance "unambiguously clear" during Macron's visit to the Vatican last year.

Belgian model

Macron, who had pledged to reform end-of-life care as part of his election campaign, expressed his inclination towards the Belgian model of euthanasia in April 2022.

The Belgian model of 'integral' end-of-life care consists of universal access to palliative care and legally regulated euthanasia.

It was legalised in Belgium in 2002, and permits euthanasia for adults and minors in exceptional cases.

In the ensuing years, euthanasia choice in Belgium has become more liberal.

Earlier this year, a 56-year-old Belgian mother who murdered her five children was euthanised at her own request.

In 2020, the Vatican stripped 15 of the Belgian Brothers of Charity psychiatric institutions of their Catholic status because euthanasia was permitted on their premises.

Advances in pain manaagement

During the course of the plane interview, Pope Francis highlighted the advancements in medical science that allow for effective pain management, reiterating his belief that life is sacrosanct and should not be trifled with.

On May 13, during the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima, he lamented the legalisation of euthanasia in Portugal, describing it as "a law that sanctions killing."

Pope Francis has consistently advocated for palliative care as a humane approach to treating those with severe illnesses, stating that while it is essential to accompany people towards the end of their lives, it is not ethical to hasten their death or assist in their suicide.

He has been equally forthright on the topic of abortion, likening it back in 2018 to contracting a "hitman" to dispose of an inconvenient individual.

Sources

• CNA

Francis was in Marseille to address a Mediterranean forum on migration.

The image was captured by Reuters photographer Yara Nardi who accompanied the Pope on his journey from Rome to Marseille.

"As soon as I revealed the photograph from its envelope, the Pope was visibly touched," recounted Nardi.

The atmosphere inside the aircraft grew sombre as Pope Francis remarked "They confine them in Libyan detention facilities, only to later cast them adrift at sea."

The poignant photograph, taken by Nardi the previous week on the small Italian island of Lampedusa, zooms in on the eyes of 18-month-old Prince.

The toddler, along with his mother Claudine Nsoe, hails from Cameroon.

They are part of a wave of thousands who have recently made the perilous sea journey from North Africa to Italy.

"He shook my hand and kept the photo," she said.

The encounter on the plane followed a stirring address in Marseille, France, where Pope Francis took a strong stance against rising nationalism and expressed deep concern over the global migrant crisis.

Speaking before a monument dedicated to lives lost at sea, the Pope was in the city to attend the Mediterranean Encounter ("Rencontres Méditerranéennes"), a forum that brought together approximately 120 young individuals of diverse faiths, and bishops from 30 different nations.

The Pope called on both individuals and nations to break free from the shackles of fear and apathy which he said subtly condemn countless lives to a grim fate.

"We can no longer be spectators to the tragedies of shipwrecks, fuelled by ruthless human trafficking and a callous disregard for human life," declared Francis.

Standing before the sea, a symbol of life but also a reminder of perilous journeys that have ended in tragedy, Pope Francis continued - "We convene here to remember those who didn't survive, those who were lost at sea.

"We must resist becoming numb to the news of shipwrecks, to seeing deaths at sea as mere statistics.

"These are not just numbers, these are individuals with names, faces, stories—lives that have been irrevocably broken and dreams that have been crushed."

His words served as a poignant reminder of the human cost of the ongoing migrant crisis and a call to action for a world he believes stands at a critical juncture between compassion and indifference.

Sources

• Reuters
• CNA
• CathNews NZ