Drop the 'useless baggage' from your life, says Pope in his New Year's address as he rails against the 'banality of consumerism' and 'blare of commercials'

  • Pope Francis addressed 40,000 people at St Peter's Square, Vatican City today 
  • In his New Year's address, he warned against 'the empty words' of consumerism
  • Comes after he ordered distribution of cards showing young Nagasaki victims
  • Harrowing images show boy carrying his dead brother to a crematorium in 1945

Pope Francis has urged people to drop life's 'useless baggage' and rallied against the 'banality of consumerism and blare of commercials' in his New Year's address.  

His advice to the 40,000 people gathered in St Peter's Square at the Vatican today included setting aside a moment of silence daily to be with God. 

Doing so would help 'keep our freedom from being corroded by...the stream of empty words and the overpowering waves of empty chatter and loud shouting' that comes from materialism, he said.

The pontiff said we should be focusing instead on building a peaceful and welcoming world.

'At the beginning of the year, we too, as Christians on our pilgrim way, feel the need to set out anew from the centre, to leave behind the burdens of the past and to start over from the things that really matter,' he added. 

Pope Francis has urged people to drop life's 'useless baggage' and rallied against the 'banality of consumerism and blare of commercials' in his New Year's address 

Pope Francis has urged people to drop life's 'useless baggage' and rallied against the 'banality of consumerism and blare of commercials' in his New Year's address 

Francis also reminded his followers that he has chosen the plight of migrants and refugees as the theme for the Roman Catholic Church's World Day of Peace, which is celebrated every January 1.

'For this peace, to which everyone has a right, many of them are willing to risk their lives in a journey which is often long and dangerous, they are willing to face strain and suffering. Please, let us not extinguish the hope in their hearts, let us not suffocate their hopes for peace!'

It comes after he ordered cards be printed and distributed depicting victims of the nuclear bombing of Nagasaki — captioned 'the fruit of war'. 

His advice to the 40,000 people gathered in St Peter's Square at the Vatican today included setting aside a moment of silence daily to be with God 

His advice to the 40,000 people gathered in St Peter's Square at the Vatican today included setting aside a moment of silence daily to be with God 

Doing so would help 'keep our freedom from being corroded by...the stream of empty words and the overpowering waves of empty chatter and loud shouting' that comes from materialism, Pope Francis said 

Doing so would help 'keep our freedom from being corroded by...the stream of empty words and the overpowering waves of empty chatter and loud shouting' that comes from materialism, Pope Francis said 

The harrowing image shows a boy carrying his dead brother on his shoulders while waiting in line at a crematorium
Pope Francis has previously spoken out against nuclear weapons and the plight of children in war zones

His words come after he ordered cards be printed and distributed depicting victims of the nuclear bombing of Nagasaki (left) — captioned 'the fruit of war' 

In a homily earlier on Monday, Francis said everyone should look after their soul by taking a moment of silence every day, 'to keep our freedom from being corroded by the banality of consumerism, the blare of commercials, the stream of empty words and the overpowering waves of empty chatter and loud shouting'

In a homily earlier on Monday, Francis said everyone should look after their soul by taking a moment of silence every day, 'to keep our freedom from being corroded by the banality of consumerism, the blare of commercials, the stream of empty words and the overpowering waves of empty chatter and loud shouting'

Across the world, the mass movement of people has shot to the top of the political agenda, and Francis has made defending those who migrate a central theme of his papacy.

During a trip to Myanmar and Bangladesh last year, he met Muslim refugees and called for decisive measures to solve the political problems that caused many to flee.

He has also criticised President Donald Trump's stated intention to build a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico to keep out illegal immigrants.

In a message released in November ahead of the World Day of Peace, Francis said politicians who stoke fear of migrants were sowing violence and racism. 

He acknowledged that the presence of immigrants can compound existing problems in a country, but appealed for practical ways to be found to welcome newcomers.

Pope Francis requested that 'the fruit of war' be written on the back of the card, accompanied by his signature

Pope Francis requested that 'the fruit of war' be written on the back of the card, accompanied by his signature

'A boy waiting for his turn in the crematorium for his dead brother on his back. It is the photo taken by an American photographer Joseph Roger O'Donnell after the atomic bombing in Nagasaki. The sadness of the child is expressed only in his bitten lips and blood oozing'

'A boy waiting for his turn in the crematorium for his dead brother on his back. It is the photo taken by an American photographer Joseph Roger O'Donnell after the atomic bombing in Nagasaki. The sadness of the child is expressed only in his bitten lips and blood oozing'

On Monday, he said: 'It is important that there is a commitment from everyone, from civil institutions, and those in education, welfare and church organisations, to ensure a peaceful future for refugees, migrants, everyone.'  

It comes after he ordered cards be printed showing victims of the nuclear bombing of the Japanese city of Nagasaki during the Second World War.

The harrowing image shows a boy carrying his dead brother on his shoulders while waiting in line at a crematorium.

It was captured by US Marine photographer Joe O'Donnell after the nuclear bombs were dropped at the end of World War II. 

Pope Francis requested that 'the fruit of war' be written on the back of the card, accompanied by his signature.  

A caption adds: 'The young boy's sadness is expressed only in his gesture of biting his lips which are oozing blood.' 

After the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, Japan's subsequent surrender ended World War II. 

Photographer O'Donnell then spent a further four years recording the aftermath of the bombings in the two cities, according to Library of Congress records. 

Smoke billows over the Japanese city of Nagasaki after an atomic bomb was dropped on the city August 9, 1945

Smoke billows over the Japanese city of Nagasaki after an atomic bomb was dropped on the city August 9, 1945

A scene of devastation in Nagasaki four years after the US dropped an atomic bomb on the city 

A scene of devastation in Nagasaki four years after the US dropped an atomic bomb on the city 

The US's nuclear strike against Nagasaki on August 9, 1945, came three days after a similar bomb was dropped on Hiroshima

The US's nuclear strike against Nagasaki on August 9, 1945, came three days after a similar bomb was dropped on Hiroshima

The striking images were published in Japan 1945: A US Marine's Photographs from Ground Zero. 

Pope Francis has previously condemned the nuclear weapons and highlighted the plight of children in war zones. 

The US's nuclear strike against Nagasaki on August 9, 1945, came three days after a similar bomb was dropped on Hiroshima.

These attacks resulted in the deaths of around 120,000 people. Japan surrendered six days later. 

HARROWING IMAGE OF NAGASAKI VICTIMS FROM POPE COMES AMID HEATED TENSIONS BETWEEN U.S. AND NORTH KOREA 

Donald Trump has previously described Kim Jong Un as 'little rocket man'

The distribution of the cars suggests the Pope believes the message is especially important at this time of year and comes amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and North Korea. Left: U.S. President Donald Trump and right: North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un

The harrowing cards comes after the Pope told an anti-nuclear weapon conference that the possession of nuclear weapons was now 'irrational'. 

In November, the Pontiff said: 'We're at the limit of licitly having and using nuclear arms. 

'Why? Because today, such sophisticated nuclear arsenals risk destroying humanity or at least a great part of it.

CNN's senior Vatican analyst John Allen wrote on his website: 'Though release of the photo in the run-up to New Year's does not add anything substantive to the pontiff's positions, it's nevertheless the first time Francis has asked that a specific image be circulated in the holiday season, suggesting he believes its message is especially relevant at the moment.' 

It comes amid continuing heated rhetoric between the U.S. and North Korea. 

'Today, is it legitimate to keep nuclear arsenals as they are? Or to save creation, to save humanity today, isn't it necessary to go back?' Pope Francis added.

The Vatican City was also said to be desperately attempting to open a dialogue between Pyongyang and the Holy See, the Express reported last month. 

Cardinal Peter Turkson of Ghana, head of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, said: 'The dicastery is already in communication with the Korean episcopal conference to see how we may have contact also with the regime on the other side.

'We are exploring the possibilities of speaking to them directly. We cannot say right now exactly when this contact will happen.'

 

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