Pope Leo XIV said in his Oct. 29 General Audience that he is praying for those who have died from Hurricane Melissa, which, according to reports, made landfall in Jamaica Oct. 28 as one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes on record.
Pope Leo described it as “a storm of catastrophic power, causing violent flooding” that impacted Jamaica and then Cuba “with devastating force.” He said thousands of people have suffered displacement, and homes and numerous hospitals have been wrecked.
“I assure everyone of my closeness, praying for those who have lost their lives, for those who are fleeing and for those populations who, awaiting the storm’s developments, are experiencing hours of anxiety and concern,” Pope Leo said. “I encourage the civil authorities to do everything possible and I thank the Christian communities, together with voluntary organizations, for the relief they are providing.”
Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Cuba as a Category 3 hurricane on the morning of Oct. 29, according to CNN. The hurricane also flooded a river in Petit-Goâve, Haiti, killing at least 25 people. One person in the Dominican Republic was killed, and three people in Jamaica died during storm preparations, the outlet reported.
Pope Leo expressed his closeness during the General Audience after leading the weekly catechesis. He referred to the Second Vatican Council declaration Nostra aetate, which is about the Church’s relation to non-Christian religions, on the occasion of its 60th anniversary.
Through this declaration, the Second Vatican Council “opened up a new horizon of encounter, respect and spiritual hospitality,” Pope Leo said. “This luminous Document teaches us to meet the followers of other religions not as outsiders, but as travelling companions on the path of truth; to honour differences affirming our common humanity; and to discern, in every sincere religious search, a reflection of the one divine Mystery that embraces all creation.”
Pope Leo noted that the primary focus of the document was the Church’s relationship with the Jewish religion, providing for the first time in Church history “a doctrinal treatise on the Jewish roots of Christianity.” The declaration also condemns persecution, hatred, and anti-Semitism, he added.
“Since then, all my predecessors have condemned anti-Semitism with clear words,” the Pontiff said. “And so I too confirm that the Church does not tolerate anti-Semitism and fights against it, on the basis of the Gospel itself.”
Pope Leo expressed gratitude for the past 60 years of Jewish-Catholic dialogue that have been accomplished with God’s assistance. The declaration strongly affirms the equal dignity of every human person, rejecting all types of discrimination, he added.
“More than ever, our world needs our unity, our friendship and our collaboration,” he said. “Each one of our religions can contribute to alleviating human suffering and taking care of our common home, our planet Earth. Our respective traditions teach truth, compassion, reconciliation, justice and peace. We must reaffirm service to humanity, at all times.
“Together, we must be vigilant against the abuse of the name of God, of religion, and of dialogue itself, as well as against the dangers posed by religious fundamentalism and extremism. We must also face the responsible development of artificial intelligence because, if conceived as an alternative to humans, it can gravely violate their infinite dignity and neutralize their fundamental responsibilities.”
Another responsibility is to protect fundamental human rights by regulating technology, he added.
Nostra aetate brought hope to the world when it was promulgated after World War II, Pope Leo said.
“Today we are called upon to rekindle that hope in our world, devastated by war and our degraded natural environment,” he said. “Let us collaborate, because if we are united, everything is possible. Let us ensure that nothing divides us. And in this spirit, I would like to express once more my gratitude for your presence and your friendship. Let us transmit this spirit of friendship and collaboration to the future generation too, because it is the true pillar on which dialogue rests.”
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