Christmas message from Pope Francis: "We need fraternity more than ever"

Pope Francis insisted on Friday in his traditional Christmas Day message on "the need for brotherhood" across the continents in this time of pandemic.

"At this historic moment, marked by the ecological crisis, and by serious economic and social imbalances aggravated by the coronavirus pandemic, we need fraternity more than ever," said the sovereign pontiff of Argentina.

He called for a concrete brotherhood, going beyond family, ethnicity, religion, language or culture.

"And this is also true in the relations between peoples and nations", insisted Jorge Bergoglio.

This call for solidarity applies "especially to the most fragile people, the sick and all those who, in this period, found themselves without work or are in serious difficulty because of the economic consequences of the pandemic, as also towards women who, during these months of confinement, have suffered domestic violence ".

"Neoliberal dogma"

The dream of fraternity in the face of social-economic inequalities, often opposed to "neoliberal dogma", constitutes a flagship theme of nearly eight years of the pontificate of Pope Francis.

But he has become particularly present in his speeches since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, notably with the publication in October of a long plea in this direction, the encyclical "Fratelli tutti" (all brothers).

Finally, the Pope had a thought for the difficult reunion with his family, the opportunity for him to magnify the importance of it.

"My thoughts are now with families: those who today cannot reunite, as well as those who are obliged to stay at home", he confided at the end of his message.

"May Christmas be an opportunity for everyone to rediscover the family as the cradle of life and faith; a place of welcoming love, dialogue, forgiveness, fraternal solidarity and shared joy, source of peace for all humanity" , he added before wishing a "good Christmas to all!".