Faithful cannot accept oppression, injustice, pope says

Pope Leo XIV told the faithful during a general audience on Oct. 7 that Christians must not accept the oppression of the poor or unjust structures that maintain dependence and injustice. Speaking in St. Peter's Square, the pope said that worshipping Christ calls believers to work for peace, fraternity, and justice.

During his talk, the pope quoted the Second Vatican Council document Gaudium et Spes, stating that the Church seeks to develop freely under any government that recognizes the basic rights of families and individuals and meets the demands of the common good. He described the Church as a sign of God's incarnation that exists to show a plan for making all people part of one human family.

Pope Leo XIV noted that the Church's mission involves helping people address questions regarding the meaning of love, suffering, and human origins. He also warned that the manipulation of information and a logic of profit at all costs can pressure people to adopt lifestyles centered on consuming material goods.