Pope Francis warns against avarice, calls for fraternity during Angelus

During the Sunday Angelus prayer, Pope Francis advocated for fraternity and charity, cautioning against avarice, which he termed a "disease of the soul" that leads to the neglect of those in need. Addressing the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square, the pontiff highlighted the contrast between material accumulation and the suffering of others.

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Accumulation and discarding are two sides of the same evil: avarice. This disease of the soul leads to losing one's senses because it intoxicates with riches, to the point of forgetting those who cry from hunger and thirst.

"Accumulation and discarding are two sides of the same evil: avarice. This disease of the soul leads to losing one's senses because it intoxicates with riches, to the point of forgetting those who cry from hunger and thirst," the Pope stated. He noted that amidst "the opulence of corruptible things, there are the outstretched hands of those who have nothing to eat, the destroyed homes of those who have no peace."

Referencing the miracle of the loaves and fishes, Pope Francis proclaimed, "Nothing is lost when it is shared." He urged that "holidays can also become a time of serene fraternity, including those beside us who are in need." The Pope concluded by asking the Virgin Mary to help believers grow in charity so that no one lacks daily bread.

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Nothing is lost when it is shared.

Pope Francis presided over the Angelus from the Apostolic Palace in St. Peter's Square, having returned from his summer retreat in Castel Gandolfo, where he continued to lead the Sunday prayer.

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holidays can also become a time of serene fraternity, including those beside us who are in need.