Vatican City, Dec 18, 2018 / 11:20 am
Pope Francis identified political virtues and vices in his 2019 peace message released Tuesday, offering examples from the "Beatitudes of a Politician."
"If exercised with basic respect for the life, freedom and dignity of persons, political life can indeed become an outstanding form of charity," Pope Francis wrote in his message for the 2019 World Day of Peace, released Dec. 18.
The pope encouraged international leaders to "practise those human virtues that sustain all sound political activity: justice, equality, mutual respect, sincerity, honesty, fidelity."
"Blessed be the politician who personally exemplifies credibility. Blessed be the politician who works for the common good and not his or her own interest … Blessed be the politician who works for unity," Francis said, quoting the late Vietnamese Cardinal François-Xavier Nguyễn Vãn Thuận's "Beatitudes of a Politician."