Pope Leo XIV condemns abortion as the greatest destroyer of peace, urging young leaders to defend life and build justice-centered peace.
Newsroom (03/02/2026 Gaudium Press ) During an audience at the Vatican this Saturday, Pope Leo XIV described abortion as “the greatest destroyer of peace,” recalling the moral conviction first voiced by Saint Teresa of Calcutta in 1994. His remarks, made before young participants of the “Political Innovation Hackathon: One Humanity, One Planet” conference organized by the Focolare Movement, drew a clear line between the defense of life and the construction of a lasting, just peace.
Gathered in the historic Clementine Hall, the Pontiff urged participants to see peace not as an abstract ideal but as a living task that begins with respect for the most vulnerable. “There can be no peace while humanity wages war against itself,” he said, warning that “no policy can truly serve the people if it denies the unborn the gift of life, or if it neglects to support those in need.”
Revisiting a Prophetic Voice
Pope Leo XIV invoked the legacy of Mother Teresa of Calcutta—canonized Saint Teresa—whose speech at the 1994 U.S. National Prayer Breakfast galvanized global attention by naming abortion as the principal enemy of peace. “Her voice remains prophetic today,” the Pope told the attendees, describing her message as one that transcends time because it addresses the essential dignity of every human being.
He reiterated, “No policy can truly be at the service of the people if it excludes from life those who want to come into the world, or if it fails to aid those in material and spiritual need.” The Pope linked this moral call to the broader struggle against what he termed the “war humanity wages against itself,” manifested in the discarding of the weak, exclusion of the poor, and indifference toward refugees and the oppressed.
“Only those who care for the least among us,” he added, “are capable of achieving true greatness.”
Peace Begins Where We Live
The Holy Father turned his attention to the young political leaders in attendance, urging them to see peacebuilding as a practice rooted in daily experience. Political engagement, he said, should not only shape global diplomacy but also foster harmony in local spaces—academic institutions, workplaces, political parties, and civic associations.
“If we are not able to foster harmony within a university or a workplace,” Pope Leo XIV asked rhetorically, “how can we expect to build peace in an entire society, or between peoples and continents?”
Participants from diverse nations and faith traditions joined the reflection, united by the shared aim of creating political models that balance innovation with ethical responsibility. The Pope’s message aligned closely with the spirit of synodality—listening, dialogue, and collective discernment—that defines much of his papacy.
Peace as Gift, Covenant, and Promise
In the closing moments of his address, Pope Leo XIV described peace as “a gift, a covenant, and a promise” passed down through generations. It is, he said, both a legacy to protect and a responsibility to realize wherever it is absent. The faithful and civic leaders alike are called to “honor peace when it is present and to make it a reality when it is lacking.”
Addressing the young leaders directly, he encouraged them to study inclusive forms of political participation, ensuring that “all citizens, men and women alike, can take part in the institutional life of their nations.” Only through such civic inclusion, he said, can society progress toward “a universal fraternity already taking shape among you young people, as a sign of a new era.”
With this appeal, Pope Leo XIV underscored that political commitment finds its deepest meaning not in power or ideology, but in serving humanity’s collective pursuit of peace through justice.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Infocatholica
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