Speaking to journalists on his return flight from Kraków on Sunday, Pope Francis said that violence exists in all religions including Catholicism and cannot be pinned to one single religion.
The Pope told reporters at the end of his five-day trip to Poland for World Youth Day 2016: “I do not like to speak of Islamic violence because every day when I look through the papers, I see violence here in Italy. And they are baptised Catholics. There are violent Catholics.”
“If I speak of Islamic violence, I also have to speak of Catholic violence,” he added.
Pope Francis was asked to elaborate on comments he had made flying to Poland on July 27 when he told the journalists that religions are not at war and want peace.
The Pope’s initial comment came after the murder of Fr Jacques Hamel during Mass in a Catholic church in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, France. Two men, armed with knives, entered the church during Mass. The attackers murdered Fr Hamel by slitting his throat. ISIS later claimed responsibility for the attack.
Although the death of the French priest was committed in the name of Islam, the Pope said that it is unfair to label an entire religion violent because of the actions of a few fundamentalists.
He said: “I do not think it is right to identify Islam with violence. This is not right and it is not true.”
The Pope was also asked about accusations of sexual abuse made against Australian Cardinal George Pell, prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy.
Pope Francis said it would be wrong to comment before the allegations are investigated thoroughly.
“If I would give a verdict for or against Cardinal Pell, it would not be good because I would judge prematurely,” he said. “We should wait for justice and not judge beforehand.”
Next World Youth Day to be held in Panama in 2019
Pope Francis has chosen Panama as the venue for World Youth Day in 2019.
The Pontiff made the announcement during the closing Mass for World Youth Day 2016 in Campus Misericordiae in Brzegi, a village near Kraków.
“God’s providence is always one step ahead of us,” the Pope said during the Sunday Angelus prayer. “Think: it has already determined the next stop in this great pilgrimage begun in 1985 by St John Paul II. So now I am happy to announce that the next World Youth Day… will take place in 2019 in Panama!”
He added: “I do not know if I will be in Panama, but Peter will be in Panama, and he will ask you if you kept your memory, your courage and your hope”.
Panamanian Archbishop José Domingo Ulloa Mendieta enthusiastically welcomed the Pontiff’s announcement and has already invited young Catholics from around the world to make the journey in 2019.
“I assure you that Panama has been blessed by Pope Francis,” he said. Referring to its population of 3.3 million, the archbishop added: “From among the littlest, he has chosen us to host the next World Youth Day.”
Lottery winners dine with Francis
Pope Francis has a “stomach of iron” and considers Richard Wagner his favourite composer, said young Catholics who lunched privately with him on Saturday during World Youth Day.
Twelve volunteers shared the meal at the cardinal’s residence in Kraków. They were chosen by lottery to attend the 80-minute encounter, during which questions were put to the Pope in Italian and Spanish.
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