During a powerful general audience at the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV declared that “the Church must speak out against everything that mortifies life,” urging Catholics to defend human dignity wherever suffering, violence, or injustice threatens it.

Addressing thousands gathered in St. Peter’s Square, the Pope warned against what he described as a growing “culture of indifference” toward the vulnerable, including the poor, the elderly, migrants, the unborn, and victims of war. He emphasized that the Gospel calls Christians not to remain silent in the face of exploitation, hatred, or social exclusion.

“When human life is humiliated, discarded, or treated as insignificant, the Church has the duty to raise its voice,” Pope Leo said. He stressed that authentic faith must always be accompanied by compᴀssion, justice, and active solidarity with those who suffer.

The Pontiff also criticized systems driven solely by profit and power, warning that societies risk losing their moral foundation when economic or political interests overshadow the value of the human person. His remarks drew strong applause from pilgrims and clergy attending the audience.

Concluding his message, Pope Leo XIV invited believers to become “witnesses of hope and defenders of life,” encouraging communities worldwide to promote peace, mercy, and respect for every human being from conception to natural death.