Message by Bishop Joseph Galea-Curmi
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9). These words of Jesus are not poetic sentiment; they are a demanding vocation. In our fractured world, marked by wars, hatred, and the proliferation of lies, the call to be a peacemaker requires courage, clarity, and deep moral conviction. In this light, the witness of Pope Leo XIV stands as a compelling example of what it means to pursue peace rooted not in compromise with injustice, but in truth, justice, and the inviolable dignity of every human being.
Peace, as the Christian tradition insists, is not merely the absence of war. It is the fruit of right relationships – with God, with one another, and with creation. This understanding echoes the teaching of Saint Augustine, who described peace as “the tranquillity of order”. Such order cannot exist where injustice prevails or where human dignity is denied. The Pope has consistently shown how authentic peace must be built on these foundations: justice that gives each person their due, and respect that recognises every human life as sacred.
Yet, the path of the peacemaker disrupts comfortable narratives and challenges entrenched interests. In advocating for a peace that refuses to ignore the suffering of the innocent or compromise with moral truth, Pope Leo XIV has encountered denigration and opposition from those who should know better. He has been told to “stick to matters of morality” – as if the killing of so many people and the threat to eliminate “a whole civilisation” are not fundamental moral issues!
The Pope’s efforts show moral courage. He has called for dialogue where others demand division, for accountability where others prefer silence, and for compassion where others sow indifference. Crucially, he has insisted that human dignity is not negotiable – not for political expediency, not for ideological alignment, and not for the sake of superficial harmony. In his words, we must strive for “a Kingdom in which there is no sword, no drone, no vengeance, no trivialisation of evil, no unjust profit, but only dignity, understanding, and forgiveness. It is here that we find a bulwark against that delusion of omnipotence that surrounds us and is becoming increasingly unpredictable and aggressive”.
To be a peacemaker means to seek reconciliation without surrendering what is right. The Pope’s vision of peace challenges both extremes: it rejects violence and hatred, but it also refuses to endorse a false peace that overlooks injustice or silences the vulnerable.
The witness of Pope Leo XIV reminds us that peacemaking is costly. It faces misunderstanding, criticism, and even rejection. But it is precisely in this cost that its authenticity is revealed. True peace – God’s peace – is never cheap. It is forged in the courage to stand for the vulnerable and the humility to uphold the dignity of every person.
In today’s world, the light of such a steadfast peacemaker shines all the more brightly in darkness. It calls each of us to rediscover the depth of Christ’s words and to live them with renewed conviction. For, in the end, it is not the loudest voices or the easiest paths that build lasting peace, but the quiet, persistent witness of those who dare to align themselves with truth, justice, and love.
✠ Joseph Galea-Curmi
Auxiliary Bishop
This article has been published in the Sunday Times of Malta on April 26, 2026.
