Addressing Vatican diplomats, he said: (http://www.cruxnow.com/church/2015/01/12/pope-francis-warns-anew-of-a-piecemeal-world-war/?s_campaign=crux:email:ja)
Peace, Francis said, is the indispensable condition for making progress on other fronts, such as economic development, care of immigrants, and the environment.
Second only to freedom. When was the last time a Pope pushed freedom as a sine qua non?
Well, he did talk about it, saying this:
“Before all else be free persons!” said the Pope. “Freedom means knowing how to reflect on what we do, knowing how to evaluate . which are the behaviors that make us grow. It means always choosing the good…. Being free to always choose the good is challenging, but it will make you persons with a backbone, who know how to face life, [and live as] courageous and patient persons.”
But I mean political freedom, Popes and Catholic writers and preachers have talked a lot about personal freedom, as from the chains of Satan and the like.
Thing is, he’s gotten very political. So political freedom? I’m listening.
Blithe Spirit 
Reblogged this on Diary of a Catholic Reader.
LikeLike
I long ago stopped listening to him. The Delphic oracle was more lucid.
LikeLike