“War is a deception, war is always a defeat”

(Pope Francis)

by Gillian Hugo

The pursuit of world peace requires the efforts of many. It is an ongoing process built through daily, collaborative actions. It is a shared responsibility carried by heads of state, religious leaders, communities, and ordinary people of goodwill. 

Throughout history, many figures, such as Pope Leo XIII and, more recently, Pope Leo XIV, have reminded us that peace, justice, dialogue, and the dignity of every human person are connected. At the General Audience on 12 February, 2025, Pope Francis appealed for peace. “We are not born to kill”, he stressed, “but to help people grow. May we find pathways of peace.”

While focusing on workers’ rights, Pope Leo XIII’s 1891 encyclical Rerum Novarum was rooted in justice, arguing that peace cannot exist where inequality and exploitation persist. Leo XIII showed that peace begins in the structures of everyday society. His teaching continues to influence how the Church and many others understand the relationship between justice and peace.

Building on the legacy of his namesake, Pope Leo XIV has emerged in a complex global context marked by conflict, political tension, and social fragmentation, emphasising peace as a central priority of his papacy. He has become the global leader with a clear moral voice. From his first public address, he called for dialogue, unity, and reconciliation, highlighting the need to overcome division through encounter rather than hostility. At his very first Regina Coeli address, Pope Leo XIV, referring to modern wars, urged that “every effort be made to reach a true, just, and lasting peace as soon as possible”.

Pope Leo XIV speaks boldly against war, injustice, and exploitation. On the return to Rome after his latest international visit to Africa, he told reporters, “I would encourage the continuation of dialogue for peace, that all sides make every effort to promote peace, remove the threat of war, and respect international law. It is very important that innocent people are protected, as has not happened in several places”. His message is clear: peace is not merely the absence of war, but the presence of justice, integrity, and care for creation. This message echoes and builds on the teachings of the Church and its predecessors, demonstrating continuity in the Church’s mission while responding to contemporary challenges.

Still, the work of peace is not limited to popes or global leaders. Countless individuals sustain world peace—people of goodwill—who choose compassion over division in their daily lives. The efforts of Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela remind us that forgiveness and reconciliation can transform societies, demonstrating that peace often requires courage and sacrifice. 

But what of us, ordinary folks, irrespective of gender, colour or creed? The call to be people of goodwill remains urgent. We, the teachers, leaders, lawyers, doctors, preachers, informal traders, et al., all contribute to a more peaceful world when we nurture understanding, choose to listen and dialogue with others, promote justice, and act with kindness. We, as people of goodwill, are laying the foundations for lasting peace through our daily efforts.

Ultimately, world peace is a continuous, shared effort grounded in justice, sustained by dialogue, and lived out through compassion. The witness of Pope Leo XIII, the leadership of Pope Leo XIV, and the example of countless others invite us to take part in this work—so that peace may grow not only in our world, but in our hearts. 

May we commit to being active peacemakers (Matthew 5:9) and ministers of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18) — those who pursue peace with God through faith, who cultivate it within themselves, and who labour tirelessly to restore it among others. To do this, we need to pray, asking God for the graces of being quick to forgive, rich in compassion, and steadfast in pursuing justice. 

For peace is never passive. It is won daily — in the quiet choice to forgive, in the courageous act of compassion, and in the humble seeking of a justice that is not our own, but God’s.