During his annual address to the Vatican’s Diplomatic Corps on Monday, Pope Francis issued a warning against "cancel culture" and also declared getting vaccinated for COVID-19 a "moral obligation," according to a report from Politico.
Francis told representatives from the 183 countries accredited to the Holy See that "diplomacy is called to be truly inclusive, not canceling but cherishing the differences and sensibilities that have historically marked various peoples."
The pontiff also branded cancel culture as a form of "one-track thinking" that wants to rewrite the past with modern-day standards. He warned that "any historical situation must be interpreted in accordance with a hermeneutics of that particular time."
"Cancel culture is invading many circles and public institutions," the pope said. "As a result, agendas are increasingly dictated by a mindset that rejects the natural foundations of humanity and the cultural roots that constitute the identity of many people."
One of the world's most vocal proponents of vaccines to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, Francis encouraged greater access to vaccines and sought to counter misinformation about their effectiveness, according to a report from National Catholic Reporter.
"We have realized that in those places where an effective vaccination campaign has taken place, the risk of severe repercussions of the disease has decreased," he said.
Francis also denounced those who are swayed by ideologies, "baseless information or poorly documented facts," which he said has created confusion in global vaccination efforts.
"Vaccines are not a magical means of healing, yet surely they represent the most reasonable solution for the prevention of the disease," he said.
The world's challenges are interconnected, the pope said, and therefore, their solutions must be found through "cultivating dialogue and fraternity among one another."
Last week, the pope made headlines when he criticized people who own pets instead of having children as selfish.
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