During his weekly general audience on January 15, 2025, Pope Francis issued a powerful call for global action to eliminate child labor, describing it as a grave injustice against God’s commandments.

He highlighted the disturbing reality that millions of children—whom he referred to as “the most beloved of the Father”—are subjected to horrific exploitation, including trafficking for organ harvesting, forced marriages, and being coerced into lives as slaves, drug dealers, prostitutes, or even forced to work in the pornography industry.

The Pope’s Strong Words Against Child Abuse

In his address to the pilgrims gathered in the Vatican’s Paul VI Audience Hall, Pope Francis didn’t hold back in condemning these abuses.

“This is very bitter in our societies,” he said, lamenting the many ways in which children are mistreated.

“Unfortunately, there are many ways in which children are abused and mistreated,” he continued, making it clear that this abuse is not only a moral blight but a crime that cannot be tolerated.

A Call to Combat a Growing Social Divide

Pope Francis also addressed the growing social divide that makes children increasingly vulnerable to such exploitation.

The widening gap between the rich and the poor, he said, leaves many children without protection, making them easy targets for traffickers and abusers.

With his impassioned words, the Pope reminded everyone present that child abuse, in any form, is “a despicable and heinous act” that demands the attention and action of all people of goodwill.

This powerful call to action was a stark reminder of the need to protect the most vulnerable members of society and work towards a world where children are no longer exploited or mistreated.

This article was published on TDPel Media. Thanks for reading!

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