CNA Staff, Nov 20, 2024 / 06:00 am
The author of a new book based on interviews with Pope Francis discussed the Holy Father’s views on Christian hope, migration, and the Israel-Hamas conflict in an interview with “EWTN News Nightly” on Tuesday.
Published ahead of the 2025 Jubilee Year, “Hope Never Disappoints: Pilgrims Toward a Better World” focuses on the pope’s views of contemporary issues ranging from family and new technologies to climate change and peace.
Released on Tuesday in Italy, Spain, and Latin America by Edizioni Piemme Publishers — and at a later date in other languages — the book by journalist Hernán Reyes Alcaide was written for the occasion of the 2025 Jubilee Year, which is scheduled to begin Christmas Eve.
Pope Francis highlighted the issue of migration in the context of other issues, Reyes told EWTN News on Tuesday.
“For Pope Francis, migration is a central issue approached with a fully integrated perspective,” Reyes said. “He emphasizes that it is impossible to think about migration without also considering climate change, the current economic system, and its political consequences.”
“He insists that addressing migration cannot be done in isolation because the interconnection between these factors is absolute,” Reyes continued. “For the pope, migration serves as a lens through which to view the broader realities of what is happening in the world today.”
In an excerpt from the text, previously published by the Italian newspaper La Stampa, Pope Francis emphasizes that it is “absolutely necessary to address the causes that cause migration in the countries of origin.” He also affirms that no country can “face this challenge in isolation.”
In the book, Pope Francis also highlights the importance of promoting “well-managed” migration, which could help resolve “the serious crisis caused by low birth rates,” especially in Europe, as long as the integral development of migrants is guaranteed.
View of Gaza conflict
Reyes clarified the pope’s perspective on the Israel-Hamas conflict. In a recently released quote from the book, the Holy Father called for a careful investigation into Gaza, as “according to some experts, what is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of a genocide.”
The comment generated swift criticism from Israel’s ambassador to the Holy See, who highlighted Israel’s “right of self-defense” in response to the “genocidal massacre” by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, which was the most deadly mass massacre of Jews since the Holocaust.
A 93-year-old Holocaust survivor also criticized the remark on Monday, saying the Holy Father used the term genocide “too easily.”
But Reyes noted that the pope is advocating for an investigation, not making a set judgment.
“The pope isn’t taking a stance on whether genocide is happening or not,” Reyes said. “Instead, he’s emphasizing the importance of an investigation. He suggests that if there are claims of genocide, a thorough investigation is required to determine whether the conditions for genocide — criteria A, B, C, and D — are met. If these conditions are fulfilled in the current circumstances within that region, it would then require a formal declaration by the international community.”
The call for an investigation takes place amid several accusations against Israel. South Africa filed a case against Israel at the International Court of Justice last December for alleged violations of the Genocide Convention, while a Nov. 14 report by the United Nations Special Committee claimed that Israel’s actions in Gaza constitute genocide, citing famine in Gaza and civilian casualties.
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Critics of the U.N. have cited the group’s Hamas sympathies, noting that a top U.N. humanitarian aid official claimed that Hamas is not a terrorist group. Hamas is known for its long-standing practice of using civilians as human shields. Meanwhile, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in Gaza has employed Hamas members, with nine UNRWA employees allegedly participating in the Oct. 7 attack.
‘Something good is coming’
In addition to global issues, Pope Francis is also addressing spiritual issues by inviting people to be “pilgrims of hope.” As pilgrims, hope is “the anchor and the sail” that guides us toward a more “fraternal future.”
“The pope says the key word is hope, which he contrasts not only with despair but also with mere optimism,” Reyes said. “Optimism, he explains, can be fleeting — here one moment, gone the next. Hope, especially Christian hope, is different. It’s not just a theological virtue but also a mindset rooted in the certainty that something good is coming. At the same time, this hope requires action; it’s not passive.”
“We are called to work at building hope each day, to make it a reality through our efforts,” Reyes concluded.
