Pope sends prophetic wakeup call to a world in 'poly-crisis'

Source: Vatican Media

In a message sent yesterday to participants in the Pontifical Academy for Life's General Assembly, Pope Francis writes from sickbed on the urgent need to reevaluate our understanding of the cosmos, listen to the contributions of science, strengthen global institutions and open ourselves to conversion in order to respond to the 'End of the World' facing our world.

In the message was dated 26 February 26 from Rome's Gemelli Hospital, the Pope highlights the concurrent crises, or 'poly crisis' facing the world, including war, climate change, energy problems, epidemics, migration, and technological innovation.

These issues prompt questions about the fate of the world and how we understand it, he says in his message to the Assembly, which is sponsoring an international workshop on 'The End of the World? Crises, Responsibilities, Hopes.'

In response to these questions, the Pope says, we must first examine our understanding of the world and the cosmos, in order to overcome our "deep-seated resistance, as individuals and as a society, to change." He laments missed opportunities to learn from previous crises, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, "to transform consciences and social practices."

The Holy Father also insists on the need to "avoid standing still" and to "listen to the contribution of scientific knowledge." The work of the Pontifical Academy, he said, echoes that of the Synod, which had "listening" as one of its keywords.

Pope Francis goes on to denounce the "pandering to utilitarian and planetary deregulation," which he says leads to the imposition of "the law of the strongest"-a law that "dehumanizes."

On the contrary, new ways of seeing the world and evolution "can provide us with signs of hope," a hope which sustains our journey and inspires us to reach out "with impetus towards true life."

This striving, however, necessarily takes place in a communitarian context, the Pope said, pointing to the need to find solutions to "a complex and planetary crisis."

In this regard, Pope Francis expresses concern about the "progressive irrelevance of international bodies, which are being undermined by short-sighted attitudes concerned with protecting particular and national interests."

Instead, he argues, the human community must strive "for more effective world organisations, invested with authority to ensure the common good of the world, the eradication of hunger and misery, and the sure defence of fundamental human rights."

This, in turn, can promote a multilateralism that does not depend upon the vicissitudes of politics or the interests of the few, and can encourage a "stable effectiveness."

This, Pope Francis says, is the broad context of the Academy's work, for which he thanked the members before entrusting them to the intercession of Mary, Seat of Wisdom and Mother of Hope.

Read the full Message here: www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/messages/pont-messages/2025/documents/20250226-messaggio-pontificia-academia-provita.html