Pope Francis said the coronavirus pandemic presented an exclusive opportunity to bring together others from around the world.
Addressing his weekly general audience on Wednesday at the Vatican, Francis said the global fitness crisis has highlighted the desire for others of all faiths to “take care of others.”
“The pandemic has revealed how vulnerable and interconnected we are,” Francis said. “If we do not care for others, starting with the little ones, those who are affected to the maximum, adding creation, we cannot cure the world.
The pontiff argued that Catholics “exceed” their non-public needs and come together to help those who suffer.
“As disciples of Jesus, we do not need to be detached or individualistic, two unpleasant attitudes that oppose harmony,” Francis said. “Indifferent, I look the other way. And individualistic,” just for me, “only in his own interests.”
There have been more than 30,000 coronavirus-related deaths in Italy, according to Johns Hopkins coronavirus monitoring.