Pope Francis calls 2017 ‘wasted year of wars, lies, injustice’

In his year-end message, Pope Francis says 2017 was ruined by deadly wars, injustice and other man-made ills which worked to undermine humanity and environment.
Speaking at his last public event of the year in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican City On Sunday evening, the head of the Roman Catholic Church said that humanity had “wasted and wounded” 2017 “in many ways with works of death, with lies and injustices.”

While war was the most obvious sign of “unrepentant and absurd pride,” many other transgressions had caused “human, social and environmental degradation,” said the pontiff. “We must take responsibility for everything before God, our brothers and our creation.”

Pope Francis further said despite the gloom, “gratitude prevails” thanks to those who “co-operate silently for the common good.”

The pope did not highlight any of the global woes, but the leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics has, over the course of the year, made his voice heard on many of the world’s biggest issues.

The 81-year-old Argentine pontiff has on numerous occasions spoken out for refugees since his election in 2013.