The pontiff told organizers of a Vatican-backed initiative that global crises are still leaving many children in extreme poverty.<\/p>\n
Pope Leo XIV on Thursday voiced deep concern at a \u201clack of progress in protecting children from danger\u201d as he met with the organizing committee of the initiative \u201cFrom Crisis to Care: Catholic Action for Children.\u201d<\/p>\n
Addressing participants gathered to advance proposals stemming from last year\u2019s International Summit on Children\u2019s Rights, convened by Pope Francis, Leo said: \u201cIt is indeed a tragedy that the children and youth of our world, the ones Jesus wanted to come to him, are so often deprived of care and access to the basic necessities of life.\u201d<\/p>\n
He added that children \u201cfrequently have few opportunities for achieving their God-given potential\u201d and warned that the situation \u201chas not improved during the past year.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOne must question whether global commitments for sustainable development have been cast aside when we see in our global human family that so many children still live in extreme poverty, suffer abuse, and are forcibly displaced, not to mention that they lack proper education and are isolated or separated from their families,\u201d the pope said.<\/p>\n
Leo recalled Pope Francis\u2019 teaching in Amoris Laetitia on the child\u2019s \u201cright to receive love from a mother and a father; both are necessary for a child\u2019s integral and harmonious development\u201d and urged continued defense of \u201cthe profound vision of life as a gift to be cherished and of the family as its responsible guardian.\u201d<\/p>\n
He thanked participants for advocating for children, telling them: \u201cFirst, you are speaking on behalf of those who have no voice. This is a truly noble task.\u201d Acknowledging discouragement that can come from \u201cfailed initiatives\u201d or \u201cseeming lack of interest,\u201d he encouraged them: \u201cLet the good you know you are doing carry you forward.\u201d<\/p>\n
The pope also emphasized the need to address children\u2019s \u201ctransversal needs,\u201d which \u201ccan easily go unnoticed when care is focused on just one area of need.\u201d He noted the committee members\u2019 varied charisms and specializations, while urging greater collaboration \u201cso that children receive care that is well balanced, taking into consideration their physical, psychological, and spiritual welfare.\u201d<\/p>\n
Leo said several Vatican bodies and religious superiors\u2019 unions are accompanying the effort, and he encouraged participants \u201cto develop concrete steps and action plans to address the transversal needs of children.\u201d<\/p>\n
In closing, he recalled Pope Francis\u2019 insistence on listening to children and cited a message presented to Francis at last year\u2019s summit: \u201cTogether with you, we want to cleanse the world of bad things, color it with friendship and respect, and help you build a beautiful future for everyone!\u201d<\/p>\n
This story\u00a0was first published\u00a0by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.<\/p>\n