The death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person. The common good can be safeguarded and the requirements of justice can be met without recourse to capital punishment: effective systems of detention have been developed that protect citizens while at the same time do not completely deprive those who are guilty of the possibility of redemption. #NoDeathPenalty

Intelligence must draw on memory. The mind must not simply compile data — as an algorithm now does more quickly than we can — but recall lived experiences, which contain depths of meaning that only the human soul can recognize, and connect more deeply with the goodness of these experiences. Everything that is good begins “with the Spirit” and thus possesses a breath, a dynamism and a sense of communion that, once experienced, are engraved upon the heart. vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/e…

The first mission of the Church is to help people be attentive to the profound questions of life: those concerning our origin and our destiny, as well as those concerning the meaning of love and suffering. The logic of profit at all costs and the manipulation of information risk exerting undue pressure on people to conform to a lifestyle centred on the consumption of material goods, but our hearts are made to look upwards. #GeneralAudience

Let us #PrayTogether that the mental health ministry be established throughout the Church, helping to overcome the stigma and discrimination of persons with mental illnesses. Be a part of this prayer: popesprayer.va/praywiththepo… #PrayerIntention @clicktopray_en

Europe as we know it, with its spiritual and moral heritage, is rooted in the lives and work of men and women who lived, preached, and shared the teachings of the Gospel. From this heritage, the moral foundations of the world in which we live have been handed down to us: principles such as the primacy of the person and the sacred and inviolable nature of human life; the protection of freedom; the primary importance of the family; care for the poor and those most in need; welcoming the stranger; and respect for the elderly. #ApostolicJourney #France

Invoking the name of God to legitimize violence or oppression constitutes a profanation of His name. Nothing that violates human dignity can claim authentic divine inspiration. Religious discourse must constantly call for hearts and words to be disarmed. #ApostolicJourney #France vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/e…

Serenity and joy can be found even amidst suffering, because God grants us the grace to look beyond our earthly horizon towards a more distant future of immeasurable happiness in God, which we are assured of attaining if we remain steadfast in faith and charity. The sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed in us (Rm 8:18). #ApostolicJourney #France vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/e…

Here in Lourdes, the city of the sick and of hope, I appeal to the entire healthcare community to remember the profound meaning of your vocation, which is to care for a suffering person, not to eliminate that person. Be passionate servants of life! No one ever has the right to decide the life of any person. Medicine must never become the servant of programmed death! #ApostolicJourney #France vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/e…

Mary comes to remind us of the greatness and richness of our calling to life, to eternal life. In the face of current trends that seek to redefine the value of human life in illness, suffering, and old age, the grotto of Massabielle stands as a place of Christian hope. Here, no one is turned away due to their frailty. #Lourdes #ApostolicJourney #France vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/e…

The #GospelOfTheDay is a call to conversion, both tender and urgent. God wants us to live, to open our eyes, and return to Him. To repent is to leave the paths on which we lost our way, and to follow the Way of Life, opening our hearts to the sole joy that never fades.

Deepening and strengthening the life of faith within families is key to resolving many of the crises facing the Church and society. It is within families that we learn how to live together, respect others, accept diversity, support one another, be generous, give of ourselves freely, and embrace the spirit of sacrifice. Perhaps this is our main challenge: that Jesus may live fully in the families of French Catholics and illumine them with His presence. #ApostolicJourney #France