Lasting peace can exist only without weapons, pope says

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — A culture of nonviolence will become more widespread when countries and citizens resort less and less to the use of weapons, Pope Francis said.

“Living, speaking and acting without violence is not surrendering, losing or giving up anything, but aspiring to everything,” the pope said in a video message released March 30 by the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network.

At the start of each month, the network posts a short video of the pope offering his specific prayer intention. For the month of April, the pope dedicated his prayer intention for a nonviolent culture.

In his video message, the pope said, “war is madness. It’s beyond reason.”

Any kind of war or armed confrontation, he said, “always ends in defeat for all.”

“Let us develop a culture of peace,” he said.

“Even in cases of self-defense, peace is the ultimate goal,” he said, emphasizing that “a lasting peace can exist only without weapons.”

“Let us make nonviolence a guide for our actions, both in daily life and in international relations,” he said, and “let us pray for a more widespread culture of nonviolence, that will progress when countries and citizens alike resort less and less to the use of arms.”