Portugal, Pope Francis urges students to work against inequality

2023-08-03 15:02:44, Kosova & Bota CNA

On the second day of his visit to Portugal, Pope Francis continued his efforts to inspire young people to fight global warming and economic inequality. The leader of the Catholic Church will stay in Lisbon until the weekend to take part in World Youth Day, the major Catholic assembly that Pope John Paul II started in the 1980s to encourage young Catholics to strengthen their faith.

Pope Francis was enthusiastically received at the Catholic University, one of Portugal's top universities, as students cheered.

During his speech, he asked the students to make the world a fairer and more inclusive place.

"An academic degree should not be seen as a license to create personal well-being, but as a mandate to work for a more just and inclusive and truly progressive society," Pope Francis told the students.

After this visit, Pope Francis traveled to the coastal town of Cascais to visit the local branch of his foundation 'Scolas Occurrentes', a movement he founded years ago to unite young people of different backgrounds and nationalities.

"Replace your doubts with dreams: do not stay hostage to fear, but start working to realize your goals! A university would be of little use if it were only used to educate the next generation, to perpetuate the current global system of elitism and inequality, where higher education is the privilege of the lucky few. If knowledge is not embraced as a responsibility, it bears little fruit", said Pope Francis to the young people.

Pope Francis has chosen to enthusiastically continue the mission of Pope John Paul as he strives to inspire the next generation to address his top priorities of social, economic and environmental justice.

He urged Portuguese students to use their education to work for the common good, especially in caring for the environment, saying that current pledges to curb global warming were merely "half-measures, which only delay the inevitable disaster".

"Your generation can be the one to take on this great challenge. You have the most advanced scientific and technological tools, but please, do not fall into the trap of short-sighted and partial approaches", said Pope Francis.

The leader of the Catholic Church will stay until the weekend in Portugal to participate in World Youth Day, the great Catholic assembly that Pope John Paul II started in the 1980s to encourage young Catholics to strengthen their faith./ VOA